Preventing a Royal Engagement
by TeenQueen661
Summary: Tinka has kept her relationship with Ty a secret from her parents because they dislike him. When she learns that they arranged her to marry a prince of the old country, she will do anything to prevent the royal engagement from taking place. However, for Ty and Tinka, this proves to be quite a challenge, a challenge they could possibly lose. Tynka/GeCe/Rogan/Deucina. CHAPTER 12 UP!
1. Meeting the Prince

Preventing a Royal Engagement

Summary: Tinka has kept her relationship with Ty a secret from her parents because they dislike him. When she learns that they arranged her to marry a prince of the old country, she will do anything to prevent the royal engagement from taking place. However, for Ty and Tinka, this proves to be quite a challenge, a challenge they could possibly lose.

Couples: Ty/Tinka, Günther/CeCe, Logan/Rocky, Deuce/Dina

Disclaimer: I do not own _Shake It Up!_, nor its characters. I only own this story and my OCs: King Kamil Byalikov, Queen Anna Byalikova, Prince Anton Byalikov, and Princess Kasia Byalikova.

Chapter 1: Meeting the Prince

Seventeen-year-old Tinka Hessenheffer leaned against Ty Blue, her boyfriend of two years, as they rode the elevator up to her apartment floor in silence. They had just gotten back from a teen club and Ty insisted on walking her up to her apartment. Tinka allowed Ty to be the gentleman that he was, but reminded him not to stay outside her door too long, or else her parents might catch him.

It seemed like everyone in the world knew about Ty and Tinka's relationship, that is, everyone but Tinka's parents, Kashlack and Squizza. Back when Ty was just her friend and she first introduced him to her parents, they masked their dislike for him with fake smiles. The minute Ty left, they expressed to her how they were not fond of his tight, clothing choices, or his choice for a career. So, when Ty and Tinka started going out officially, they agreed to keep their relationship a secret from her parents, until she believed they would be ready to accept him. However, that day had yet to arrive, and the two star-crossed lovers were often frustrated at all the secrecy, but were willing to do anything to stay together.

The elevator finally dinged and its doors slid open. Ty and Tinka exited and walked, hand in hand, down the hallway to the Hessenheffer apartment. Ty frequently dropped Tinka off after their dates, so he knew which apartment she lived in; that, and the Hessenheffer apartment door was covered in unique decorations from the old country, which made it easily distinguishable from the other apartments in the complex.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening," Tinka said with a smile. "I had a lot of fun."

"No problem," Ty said, looking down at her. "Our nights together are always fun."

"I guess we should, um, say goodnight," Tinka said, disappointed that their night together was coming to an end.

"Yeah, goodnight," Ty said, placing his hands on her hips. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Tinka let out a small squeal as Ty pulled her body against his and let their lips collide together in a passionate kiss. She rested her manicured hands on Ty's shoulders and kissed him back, lovingly. She lived for moments like this, moments with just her, Ty, and all the time in the world.

Ty ran his tongue against Tinka's lips and she moaned, gripping his shirt tightly in her hands. The two lovebirds were going to begin a game of tonsil hockey when a female voice from inside the apartment startled them.

"Do not worry, I'll get the door!" the voice called. "Tinka must be home from the mall!"

Tinka's eyes flew open, as did Ty's, and they quickly pulled away from each other in terror.

"You better go!" Tinka whispered, straightening her sparkly, cocktail dress.

"Right," Ty agreed, giving Tinka one last kiss. "Love you, baby."

"Love you, too," Tinka whispered, quickly.

Ty raced down the hall, to the elevator, and slammed his hand on the button to call for it. Fortunately, it opened and he hurried inside. The doors barely had time to close, before the door to the Hessenheffer apartment opened and Squizza stood in the doorway, smiling down at her daughter.

"Welcome home, Tinka," Squizza said, kindly. "How was your trip to the mall with Rocky, CeCe, and Dina?"

"Absolutely fun, Mama," Tinka lied, entering the apartment once her mother moved aside. "They just left after dropping me off."

"Yes, I heard you telling them that you had a great night with them," Squizza said with a smile, obviously having not heard Ty's voice earlier. "I'm happy that you did not stay out too late because there are some people who I would like you to meet."

"Where are they?" Tinka asked, curious as to who would visit them on a Sunday night.

"Follow me, dear," Squizza told her. "They are with your father in the dining room."

Tinka obeyed and followed her mother through the living room and into the dining room. At the head of the dining table sat Kashlack. To the right of the him sat two adults and to the left were two teenagers. Tinka had no idea who they were, but she noted the silk garments they were wearing and assumed they were members of a wealthy family.

Kashlack stood up and walked over to Tinka. He embraced her in a fatherly hug, before he stepped back and gestured to her with his hands, his attention now on their visitors.

"Esteemed guests," Kashlack said, politely, "please allow me to introduce my daughter, Tinka Hessenheffer."

Tinka smiled at the four people sitting at the table, but silently questioned why her father was being so formal towards them. She figured they must be people of great importance and that he was merely making a good impression on them.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Tinka," the man at the table said to her, kindly. "I am King Kamil Byalikov."

Upon hearing the man's name, Tinka's eyes widened. She realized then that their guests were none other than the current, royal family of her home country. She was not sure why they were visiting her family, of all people in the world, but knew it was not the appropriate time to question the matter.

"The pleasure is all mine, your Majesty," Tinka said with a curtsy.

As Kamil smiled and gestured to his wife, Tinka noted the few grey hairs in the King's brown hair and the few wrinkles on his face, and knew that his years of age were catching up to him. However, his cerulean-blue eyes sparkled and Tinka could see the kindness in them.

"Tinka, this is my beautiful wife, Anna," Kamil said, smiling at the woman next to him.

Anna looked up at Tinka and smiled kindly at her. Her long blonde hair, which was kept in a long braid like Squizza's, barely touched the floor below. Although she looked a bit frail, Tinka could see that the Queen was young at heart.

"It's an honour to meet you, Queen Anna," Tinka said with another curtsy.

"It is an honour to meet you, as well, Tinka," Anna answered, warmly.

Tinka turned her head when she noticed the two teenagers stand up from their seats and make their way towards her, and she figured they were Kamil and Anna's children. The one at the front, the girl, had clearly inherited her silky, blonde hair from her mother and her sparkling eyes from her father. She gave Tinka a genuine smile and held out her hand to shake Tinka's.

"Now, allow me to introduce my daughter, Princess Kasia," Kamil said, noticing that Tinka's attention was now on his daughter.

Tinka gently shook Kasia's hand and said, "It's wonderful to meet you, Princess Kasia."

"The feeling is mutual," Kasia answered, politely, "and call me Kasia. I detest being called Princess by friends."

Tinka smiled at the princess and nodded her head. She had a good feeling that she and Kasia would get along very well.

The boy stepped forward and when Tinka turned towards him to acknowledge his presence, she was greatly surprised by his good looks. Like Kasia, he inherited his hair from his mother, but he also inherited her chocolate-brown eyes. His hair was short, straight, and combed forward, which reminded Tinka of Günther's hairstyle. The way he smiled at her was quite mesmerizing and Tinka smiled at the thought of all the girls chasing after him back in the old country.

"And, finally, this is my son, Prince Anton," Kamil said.

"It's nice to meet you, Prince Anton," Tinka said, politely.

"It is nice to meet you, too, Tinka," Anton answered, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss it, "and, please, call me Anton."

Tinka smiled as the introductions concluded, and Anton and Kasia returned to their seats. Squizza took a seat at the table, across from Kashlack, and Tinka sat down next to her, on her right.

"As I have stated before, welcome to our lovely home," Squizza said to the royal family.

"Thank you, Squizza," Anna said, kindly. "You have a wonderful home."

"King Kamil, would you think me rude in asking what made your family decide to travel to America to visit our family without prior notice?" Tinka asked, choosing her words carefully, as to not offend the royal family.

Kamil, impressed with Tinka's mannerisms, said, "Oh, this was not a random visit. We do have our reasons for visiting you and your family."

"I see," Tinka said. "Forgive me if I seem rude. Had I known you and your family would be visiting, I would have rescheduled the shopping trip I had with my best friends, so I would have been present to greet you upon your arrival."

"No need to apologize, my child," Anna said, waving it off. "We were supposed to visit the week before, but some business came up that we had to attend to, so we had to postpone our visit."

"I completely understand," Tinka said, politely.

"I must say, Tinka, I am very impressed by your mannerisms and the way you present yourself," Kamil commented with a smile.

"Well, thank you for your kind compliments, King Kamil," Tinka answered, kindly.

"I agree with my husband, you have such a queenly manner," Anna added. "I assume you are of a royal blood line?"

"Yes, I am," Tinka replied, wondering where this conversation was going. "Before my mother married my father, she was a princess of our home country."

"And you shall be one as well," Kashlack stated, proudly.

"Oh, yes," Kamil agreed, oblivious to the look of confusion on Tinka's face. He looked to Anton and said, "You have made a wise decision, my son. The people of our country would be delighted to have the lovely Tinka Hessenheffer, the daughter of former Princess Squizza, as their princess."

Upon hearing the king's words come out of his mouth, Tinka's look of confusion faded and was replaced with a look of shock. Was this an arranged marriage that both families were talking about? She silently prayed that she misheard because she certainly did not remember ever agreeing to be the victim of an arranged marriage.

"I'm sorry," Tinka said, looking at Kamil. "Could you please repeat that, your Majesty?"

"Tinkabell," Squizza said, looking at her daughter. "Prince Anton contacted your father and me a few months ago and graciously asked for your hand in marriage."

Sadly, Tinka did not misunderstand anything. She stared at her mother in surprise and bit her bottom lip, nervously. Her parents would never arrange her in a marriage, would they? Did she not have any control over her future, including the man she wished to spend the rest of her life with?

"Oh, Mama," Tinka said, sadly, upon seeing how happy her mother was. "You and Papa didn't give him my hand in marriage, did you?"

"Why, of course we did!" Squizza exclaimed, wondering why her daughter would ask such a question. "The minute you turn eighteen and graduate from high school, you will marry Prince Anton and live the rest of your life, in luxury, back in the old country! Isn't that wonderful?"

Tinka looked appalled, as though someone told her that her betwinkler broke. She could not believe that her parents arranged her to marry the prince of her home country. More importantly, she could not believe that they actually thought she would be thrilled to go through with it. As good looking and well mannered as Anton was, Tinka was immensely in love with Ty and nothing would ever change that. Then, another thought hit her: what would Ty say to this?

"Forgive me, Mama, but this isn't wonderful," Tinka said, as calmly as she could, causing the smiles to fade from everyone's faces.

"What are you talking about, my darling?" Squizza asked, sounding concerned and a tad confused.

"I don't wish to get married right now," Tinka explained.

"Tinkabell, you can't be single forever," Kashlack told her.

Tinka closed her eyes and sighed. If only her parents knew that she was not single anymore. Then again, even if her parents knew she was in a relationship, they would probably still try and marry her off to Anton to get her away from Ty.

"Your father is right, my dear," Squizza said, softly. "It will not be long until your friends will be married and having families of their own. Don't you want the same life?"

"Of course I do, Mama, just not now," Tinka said, firmly. She then turned to Anton, who seemed disappointed, and said, "I refuse your generous, marriage offer, _Prince _Anton, I'm sorry."

Anton sighed, knowing that Tinka deliberately acknowledged him by his royal title to show that she viewed him, solely, as a person of importance, rather than her fiancé. However, he was not going to fly back to his home country all because of a simple rejection, as he felt Tinka just needed some time to think things through. After all, Tinka finding out that she is arranged to marry a prince is a lot to take in, especially after only knowing the prince for only five minutes.

"I apologize, Tinka, I understand this has come as a big surprise," Anton said, reaching for Tinka's hand. "Would you prefer to get to know me a little better first?"

"I would be glad to have you as a friend, but nothing more," Tinka answered, pulling her hand back from his. "Now, please excuse me. I have some homework to finish."

With her head held high and her face expressionless, Tinka exited the dining room and made her way down the hallway, to her bedroom. She entered, closed the door behind her, and locked it, as she wanted to be alone. She did not have any homework to finish, as she had finished it several days ago, but she simply wanted to get away from her parents for the night.

The blonde collapsed on her sparkly bed and sighed. Although she firmly declined to marry Anton, she knew that the end was not near. She knew her parents would not stop their insisting until she agreed to marry Anton. The feeling of being trapped in an arranged marriage brought tears to Tinka's eyes.

"What am I going to tell Ty?" Tinka whispered, quietly, to no one in particular.

Chapter 1 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	2. Telling the Friends

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 2! =D

Chapter 2: Telling the Friends

Tinka barely got any sleep during the night. She was constantly jerked awake after being haunted by nightmares of her wedding to Anton. She knew that she should consider herself lucky that he was interested in her and that he would make a good husband for her, but she did not want to marry him. She was still furious at her parents for arranging her in a marriage to him and was in no mood to talk to them.

The sun had barely risen when Tinka woke up, after only a few hours of sleep. She quickly brushed her teeth, wrapped her hair into an upper ponytail, and threw on one of the casual sparkly outfits that she recently designed. She grabbed her backpack, quietly crept downstairs, and swiped a granola bar from the kitchen cabinet. Before her parents even woke up, she was already out the door and off to school.

Since she was busy with an extra credit assignment for her fashion class, Tinka did not get a chance to talk to her friends until lunch. During their time in the cafeteria, they all agreed to go to Crusty's after school for pizza. Tinka was all for it, as she believed it would be a good time to tell them about her arranged marriage and ask them for advice on how to get out of it.

Once the final bell of the day rang, Tinka made her way to the front doors of the school, where Rocky, CeCe, and Dina were already waiting, as planned. Ty and Deuce joined the girls, soon after, and they all began their journey to Crusty's.

"I'm glad we're going to Crusty's," Ty said, as they walked. "I could really go for a slice of pizza."

"Me, too," Tinka said, as she reached for Ty and was granted his hand. "All that betwinkling in my fashion class certainly made me hungry."

"Wow," CeCe said, randomly. "Since when do we have a rich kid at our school?"

"What are you talking about?" Tinka asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"I think she's referring to the limo parked out front," Rocky explained, pointing straight ahead.

Tinka looked up and, once she noticed Anton standing next to a black limousine by the curb, she immediately released Ty's hand and stormed over to him. Ty followed her, in confusion, with Rocky, CeCe, Deuce, and Dina right behind him.

Anton, meanwhile, greeted Tinka with a smile and a bouquet of red roses, as though he did not notice the annoyed look on her face, nor her holding hands with Ty. Before he decided to stop by and see Tinka after school, he put on some casual clothing because he did not want to draw attention in his royal robes. However, judging by Tinka's reaction to seeing him, he had a feeling she was going to draw attention anyway by making a scene.

"Ah, my lovely Tinka," he greeted, as she approached him. "How wonderful it is to see you again."

"Don't speak to me like that," Tinka said, sternly. "You don't own me."

CeCe, Rocky, Ty, Deuce, and Dina were taken aback by Tinka's negative attitude, which even surprised Tinka herself. She knew it was expected of her to speak politely to Anton, as he was a royal prince, but her mannerisms seemed to have evaporated like mist once Anton spoke to her as though she was one of his prized possessions.

"Forgive me," he said, apologetically. He held out the roses and added, "I bought these for you."

Upon realizing that a complete stranger was trying to hit on his girl, Ty clenched his hands into fists. He would have lunged forward and given the guy a piece of his mind, if it were not for Deuce and Dina holding him back.

"That's very kind of you," Tinka said, "but I don't accept gifts from people I barely know."

"Who's this guy, Tinka?" Ty questioned with an icy tone in his voice.

"A friend of my parents," Tinka answered, hiding some of the truth from him. She was extremely concerned that Ty would acknowledge himself as her boyfriend and there was no doubt in her mind that if he did, Anton would report it to her parents, and she did not want that happening. The sooner she and her friends went to Crusty's, the sooner she could explain everything to them. The last thing she needed was her parents finding out about her relationship with Ty, or Ty accusing her of cheating on him.

"I understand," Anton said, lowering the bouquet, "but I would be delighted if you would, at least, let me escort you back to your apartment."

"I'm not going home yet," Tinka explained to him. "I'm going out for pizza with my friends."

"Would you like me to escort you and your friends to your desired destination?" Anton asked.

Upon hearing this, CeCe had a starry look in her eyes. Being the local celebrity that she was, she had always wanted to ride in a beautiful limousine and the opportunity finally came knocking at her door.

Tinka noticed the star struck look on CeCe's face and quickly told Anton in a firm voice, "No thank you, we'll walk. The pizza shop isn't very far from here."

"As you wish," Anton said, oblivious to the disappointed look on CeCe's face. "My family and I will be joining you and your parents for dinner tonight, so I will go to your apartment and inform your parents that you will be home later tonight."

Tinka did not say a word as the driver, who was standing by the back of the limousine during the entire conversation, opened the back door. Once Anton was seated inside, the driver returned to his place in the driver's seat.

Once the limousine pulled away from the curb, Rocky looked at Tinka and asked, "What was that all about?"

"Let's go to Crusty's first," Tinka said. "I promise that I will explain everything there."

Rocky, CeCe, Deuce, and Dina nodded, simultaneously, and continued their walk down the sidewalk, leaving Ty alone with Tinka.

Since no one was around anymore, Ty was going to accuse Tinka of cheating on him, but the miserable look on her face told him that she wanted nothing to do with Anton. He smiled at her and offered her his hand, and she took it and squeezed it affectionately.

Together, the star-crossed lovers followed their friends down the sidewalk, towards Crusty's.

* * *

Once the six teenagers arrived at Crusty's, they seated themselves in a booth near the back, so they would not be disturbed by neighbouring tables. Rocky, CeCe, and Dina sat across from Ty, Tinka, and Deuce. After breezing through the menu, they placed their order for two large pizzas: one meat lovers and one vegetarian, a basket of garlic bread, and six large Cokes.

"Okay, Tinka," Rocky said, once the waitress left with their orders, "what's going on?"

"Yeah, who was that cute guy that stopped by the school to give you flowers?" CeCe asked, dreamily.

Tinka sighed and said, "His name is Anton Byalikov; he is the current prince of the old country."

"Well, that would explain the limo," Dina remarked with a laugh.

"What is he doing here in Chicago?" Rocky asked, curiously.

"His family is visiting my family," Tinka explained. "I met them right after I returned home from my date with Ty last night."

"Something tells me there's more to this story," CeCe said. "After all, it's not every day you see royal families from foreign countries showing up at my door, nor showing up at my school to give me flowers."

"Well, you're correct, there _is_ more to this story," Tinka said, biting her bottom lip.

Ty sensed how tense Tinka was and draped his arm over her shoulders. He could tell that what she was about to tell them was upsetting her, and he figured that it would be easier for her to spill the beans if she felt him there, right next to her.

Tinka cracked a small smile at the comfort that Ty was providing her and whispered, "Thank you, Ty."

"No problem, baby," Ty said, trying to be brave for his girl. "Now, what else do you have to tell us?"

Tinka sighed, again, and said, "I'm arranged to marry Anton."

Upon hearing the news, Rocky, CeCe, and Dina gasped, simultaneously. Deuce's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. However, neither of the four was as shocked as Ty. The rapper's mouth dropped open in shock and Tinka swore that she could hear his heart break.

"What?" CeCe cried in surprise. "How did this happen?"

"Anton contacted my parents a while ago and asked them for permission to marry me," Tinka explained, looking down at the bare table.

"And they gave him permission?" Dina asked, although she had a hunch that she already knew the answer.

Tinka nodded, sadly, and said, "When I turn eighteen and I have graduated from high school, I'll have to marry Anton and move back to the old country."

"Babe," Ty said with a look of despair on his face, "you didn't agree to this, did you?"

"Of course not!" Tinka cried, startling a waiter nearby. "I love you, Ty. I would choose you over any man, any day."

Ty breathed a sigh of relief when Tinka told him that she would never leave him, willingly, for another man. However, he was still concerned that she was involved in an arranged marriage and would not be able to rest until he was positive that she would not have to marry Anton.

"I don't want to marry, Anton," Tinka whispered, as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Tinka, this is an arranged marriage, not a forced marriage," Rocky told her. "You should be able to have a say in this matter; you have the right to reject him."

"I did reject him, but my parents are strongly encouraging me to reconsider," Tinka explained. "I feel trapped; I don't know what to do."

"Well, I think you should go to your parents and firmly tell them that you don't want to marry Anton if you don't want to," CeCe suggested, "and use your mom's history to get your point across."

"What does my mother's history have to do with my situation?" Tinka asked, confused.

"Actually, for once, CeCe's idea is a good one," Rocky agreed. "If I recall correctly, your maternal grandfather forbid the marriage between your parents, but your mother gave up the throne of the old country to marry your father anyway, right?"

"Yes," Tinka said, slowly.

"If she gave up your father for the throne, her father would probably have forced her to marry some man she did not love, right?" Rocky continued.

"It's highly likely," Tinka replied, listening attentively.

"Well, if your mother had the freedom to control her life and marry the man she truly loved, then you should be able to have that same freedom," Rocky concluded, satisfied with her explanation.

Tinka nodded as she believed that Rocky made an excellent point. It did not seem fair, Tinka thought, that her own mother was able to make decisions about her life and that her own daughter was, for some reason, not able to have that same freedom.

"You make a valid point, Rocky," Tinka said, her spirits lifted. "I'll speak with my mother and father tomorrow, as I'm in no mood to speak to them tonight, especially with the royal family at the apartment for dinner."

Just then, the group's waitress returned with their drinks, ending any further conversation about Tinka's arranged marriage.

* * *

After the group left Crusty's, Ty walked Tinka back to her apartment. When they arrived, they could hear laughter inside, and they both immediately knew that the royal family was there for dinner, as planned. Ty quickly kissed Tinka goodbye and left, after telling her that he would see her in school tomorrow.

Using her key, Tinka entered the apartment. The sound of her unlocking the door was loud enough to alert both families inside of her return because soon after she closed the door, she saw Squizza and Anton hurry out of the dining room to greet her.

"Good evening, Tinka," Anton greeted with a smile.

Tinka simply nodded her head in his direction and, without making eye contact at him, said, "Good evening to you, as well, _Prince _Anton."

Anton sighed by Tinka's use of the word Prince as it meant, once again, that she viewed him as merely an acquaintance and nothing more.

"Tinkabell, your father and I would be delighted if you would join us and the royal family for dinner," Squizza said to her daughter. "We have just started."

"I'm not hungry right now, Mama, as I have just returned from eating pizza with my friends," Tinka explained, masking her frown with a smile. "If I may be excused, I have a biology test to study for."

Before Squizza or Anton could say another word, Tinka brushed past them and made her way down the hallway, looking forward to the peace and quiet that her bedroom provided her with.

Chapter 2 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661

.


	3. Arguing with People

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! On with Chapter 3! =D

Chapter 3: Arguing with People

Tinka's mind, after returning home from Crusty's the previous night, was filled with nothing but thoughts of her arranged marriage with Anton. She felt like she was not going to be able to get any sleep with those thoughts plaguing her mind. Luckily, studying for her upcoming biology test pushed those horrid thoughts out of her mind and, once she could not keep her eyes open any longer, the blonde was able to get a good night's sleep.

After frying and eating a couple of eggs and some bacon for breakfast, Tinka brushed her teeth and dressed in a new, sparkly outfit. She combed her hair and put it in an upper ponytail at the back of her head. She was in the middle of curling the hair in the ponytail, when there was a knock on her bedroom door.

Tinka, sensing it was her mother, sighed and said, "Come in."

The door opened and Squizza entered the room, wearing a white robe over her leopard print nightgown. She watched her daughter, intently, waiting for her to acknowledge her presence, but Tinka continued to curl her hair in silence.

"Good morning, my dear," Squizza said, attempting to start off the day on a good note.

Tinka, without a single glance at her mother, said, "If only it was."

Squizza sighed and said, "Tinkabell, your behaviour lately has been quite appalling. It is distasteful of you to be hostile towards your fiancé, Prince Anton."

"Since I have not agreed to marry him, he's not considered my fiancé," Tinka answered, coldly. "In fact, since I refuse to marry him, and since I have only known him for two days, I view him as more of an acquaintance."

"My darling, you are incredibly lucky that Prince Anton views you as a suitable wife for him," Squizza explained, as she took a seat on the bed. "You must keep that in mind."

"Forgive me, Mama, but becoming a prince's trophy wife was not exactly on my list of long-term goals," Tinka snarled as she reached for a can of hairspray.

"If Prince Anton did not genuinely care about you, Tinka, then your father and I would not have given him permission to marry you," Squizza explained.

Tinka groaned and cried, "Why is my marriage to Anton so important?"

"Because marrying Prince Anton will ensure that you have a good future," Squizza explained. "After all, statistics have shown that those who are married are happier than those who are not."

"That's because those who are married love the person they married," Tinka pointed out, "and I don't love Anton, and I never will."

"You do not know that for sure," Squizza said. "You barely speak to him."

Tinka sighed again as thoughts of Rocky's explanation from dinner last night flooded her mind.

"Mama, you chose true love and married Papa, instead of inheriting the throne of the old country and possibly marrying someone you did not love," Tinka pointed out, her eyes fixed on her mother. "You had the freedom to control your life, so why don't I have the freedom to control mine?"

Squizza sighed and said, "Tinka, your father and I just want the best for you. Nothing can be better for your life than marrying Prince Anton and, seeing as you are still single, you should accept the duties that come with becoming his wife and a princess of the old country."

"I appreciate your efforts in finding me a suitable spouse, Mama, but I'm the only one that can live my life, so I'm the only one that can know what is best for me," Tinka explained, as she stood up.

"Excuse me, dear, we are not finished with this conversation," Squizza said, sternly.

"Forgive me, but I must end this conversation right now," Tinka said, strapping her knapsack to her back. "I don't want to be late for school. After all, right now in my life, getting an education is what is best for me."

Squizza, who knew not to argue with Tinka over the importance of school, silently nodded. She stood up and followed her daughter out of her room and down the hallway.

When Tinka made her way into the living room, she found Anton waiting for her by the front door, and she narrowed her eyes at him. Why he was at her apartment so early in the morning was a mystery to her, as he knew that she had to go to school.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hessenheffer," Anton greeted, acknowledging the woman behind Tinka.

"Good morning to you, as well, Prince Anton," Squizza said with a smile.

"And Tinka," Anton continued, his gaze now on her, "you look beautiful, as always."

Tinka faked a smile and said, "Oh, Prince Anton, your charming words are only wasted on me."

Normally, Squizza would scold her daughter for continuing her hostile attitude towards Anton. However, she knew it would be inappropriate of her to scold her daughter in front of the prince, so she remained silent.

"Tinka, I came here because I would be delighted to escort you to school this morning," Anton said.

As much as Tinka wanted to walk past Anton, with her head held high, and walk to school by herself, she could feel her mother's gaze on her back and sighed. She did not want to accept Anton's offer, but if it would please her mother and possibly make her forget about the spirited discussion they just had, she was going to have to accept it.

"Very well," Tinka said, feeling a twinge of pain inside at having to say the words.

Anton smiled, as he opened the door and gestured for Tinka to leave first. They walked down the hallway and entered the elevator. Neither one of them said a word on the way down; Anton knew that she still disliked him and Tinka refused to say anything to him, unless she had to.

Once they were outside, Tinka noticed Kasia waving at her from inside the limousine and she breathed a sigh of relief. As she climbed into the limousine, she silented thanked her ancestors for not leaving her alone in the limousine with Anton.

"Good morning, Tinka," Kasia greeted with a smile. "I hope you do not mind that I accompany you and my brother to your school, for I figured that the ride there would be a great opportunity for us to get to know each other more."

"No, I don't mind at all, Kasia," Tinka answered, remembering that the princess disliked being called Princess by friends.

Anton climbed into the limousine and seated himself across from Kasia and Tinka. The door closed and, a few seconds later, the limousine started moving.

"Tinka, I was wondering if you would allow me the opportunity to take you to dinner tonight," Anton said. "We barely spoke to each other since I first arrived in America and I believe a conversation over steak and lobster will break the ice between us."

"I apologize, but I must decline your invitation, Prince Anton," Tinka said, politely, feeling Kasia's eyes on her, "for I have to work tonight."

"Oh, yes, your parents have told us about your dancing career on a local television show," Kasia said, before Anton could reply. "What is it called again?"

"_Shake It Up! Chicago_," Tinka answered, turning her attention to the princess.

"Please, do tell me more about the show," Kasia requested, kindly. "It sounds very interesting."

Tinka nodded, eagerly. If she could keep Kasia interested in talking about _Shake It Up! Chicago_ until they arrived at John Hughes High School, Anton would not find another opportunity that morning to talk to her.

"Oh, where do I start?" Tinka said, pretending to be deep in thought.

Anton sighed and turned to gaze out the window, as Tinka launched into a long and detailed story about her life as a dancer on _Shake It Up! Chicago_.

* * *

Ty stuck his head out from behind a tree, just in time to see a limousine pull up to the front of John Hughes High School. When the driver got out and opened the back door for Tinka, Ty smiled, but kept the rest of his body concealed behind the tree. He did not want Anton catching him with Tinka, and then have it get back to her parents.

Tinka purposely continued to ignore Anton by bidding only Kasia a cheerful goodbye. Kasia waved goodbye back, while Anton did not seem bothered by Tinka's lack of farewell to him, and told her to have a good day.

The driver then closed the door and took his place behind the wheel. Tinka watched as the limousine pulled away from the curb and drive off down the street.

"Tinka!" Ty hissed from behind the tree.

"Ty?" Tinka said with an air of surprise, as she turned around and spotted him behind a nearby tree. "What are you doing?"

"Is the coast clear?" he asked, tentatively. "Did Anton leave?"

"Yes, the limousine just turned around a street corner," Tinka explained.

"Good," Ty said. He stepped out from behind the tree and marched right up to Tinka. He looped one arm around her waist and pulled her in for a searing kiss.

Tinka moaned into the kiss and she thrust her hands into his hair, her desire to feel his lips against hers rapidly intensifying. She could feel his hands on the back of her sparkly shirt, caressing her skin underneath it.

Ty nibbled on Tinka's bottom lip, and was about to be gained entrance to her mouth, when a female voice shrieked some very inappropriate words in shock.

Startled by the cry, Ty and Tinka pulled away from each other. Their faces instantly reddened when they spotted CeCe gaping at them from a few feet away. Behind him were Rocky, Deuce, and Dina, who were looking equally as scarred as CeCe.

"Oh, for all that is good and pure in this world, take it into the janitor's closet!" CeCe cried, exasperated.

"Okay, don't get your red curls in a twist!" Tinka snapped, frustrated after her moment with Ty was ruined.

"Yeah, CeCe," Ty said, infuriated by the redhead's temper. "Just because Günther isn't here doesn't mean Tinka and I have to hold off on the PDA."

CeCe cringed; Ty's words hit a nerve within her, but she did not bother to respond. As she watched him walk Tinka into the school, she sighed. She did not mean the words that she said to them, but she tended to lose her filter whenever she was in a fit of anger or jealousy.

Deuce and Dina narrowed their eyes at CeCe, as they also believed that her words to Ty and Tinka were quite hurtful. Then, they silently followed Ty and Tinka into the school, leaving Rocky alone with CeCe.

"I'm sorry about what Ty said," Rocky said, gesturing for her best friend to continuing walking. "He totally crossed the line."

CeCe shook her head, as she started walking, and said, "No, it's my fault. It's not their fault that Günther isn't here."

Rocky nodded, knowing that Günther was the reason behind CeCe's sudden outburst.

CeCe sighed heavily, as memories of Günther flooded her mind. Two years after he moved back to the old country, feelings were revealed, and CeCe began a long distance relationship with him. It seemed like ages since she had seen him last, and she missed him terribly. She envied that Ty and Tinka were able to see each other every day, unlike her and Günther.

"No, no one yells at my best friend like that," Rocky said, firmly. "You just say the word, CeCe, and hydrochloric acid will mysteriously appear on his seat in his chemistry class."

"No, don't be hard on Ty, Rocky," CeCe told the brunette, as they entered the school. "You can't blame him for what he said and did. With Tinka's whole arranged marriage fiasco and her parents being the reason for the couple being secretive, I don't blame him for wanting to be all lovey-dovey with her whenever he gets the chance to."

"True, but Ty still should have been considerate of your feelings," Rocky pointed out. "He doesn't know what it's like to have the love of his life on another continent, let alone another country."

"Still, I should apologize," CeCe said, having already made her mind up, "to both of them for yelling."

"The small fight happened not too long ago, so give them both some time to cool down first," Rocky suggested. "The last thing you need is facing the deadly end of Tinka's betwinkler."

"Good point," CeCe said, as the thought of being painfully pelted with large rhinestones sent shivers down her spine. "I'll just give them some space for awhile."

"Yeah, why don't you go to homeroom now?" Rocky suggested. "I'll meet you there."

"Wait," CeCe began, as Rocky started walking away from her, "where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk to Ty and Tinka, and see if I can calm them down a bit," Rocky explained. "Hopefully, I'll be able to catch them in the janitor's closet with their clothes still on."

CeCe smiled at Rocky's sense of humour and watched her head down the hallway, leading to the English wing of the school. The brunette always knew how to cheer people up, and CeCe was fortunate to have her as a friend.

As CeCe turned and walked in the opposite direction, towards the social science wing of the school, the smile on her face faded. She sighed and silently prayed that Ty and Tinka would forgive her for her silly outburst, and that everything would work out in the end.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rocky continued her journey through the English wing of the school, in search of Ty and Tinka. She knew that their homerooms were in this wing of the school, with Ty's class being English and Tinka's being creative writing. She silently hoped that she would easily find them, as she did not want to be late to her biology class; they were planning on dissecting frogs that day.

Through the crowds of students in the hallway, Rocky managed to spot two backpacks sitting on the floor, side by side. One backpack was simple and black, while the other backpack was so sparkly that it looked like it was sneezed on by a unicorn. When she noticed the backpacks' placement next to a closed janitor's closet, she rolled her eyes in amusement and slowly approached the door. She did not want Ty and Tinka's intimate moment interrupted again, but she needed to smooth things out between them and CeCe, so she reached for the doorknob.

However, when she pulled open the door, the brunette dancer let out an ear-piercing scream that caused several heads of students passing by to turn in her direction.

"Good grief, you two, not in the janitor's closet!" Rocky scolded, her left eye twitching slightly.

In response to Rocky's scolding, Tinka muttered a few cuss words from her Native language, words that she would never dare say to her parents' faces. Ty's response, although wordless, was a vulgar hand gesture that he would normally use whenever he wanted Rocky to get lost.

"Just get out here; I have to talk to you both!" Rocky demanded, looking offended, "and, for Pete's sake, Ty, pull up your pants!"

Ty grumbled, pulled up his jeans, and exited the closet. Tinka followed him from behind, smoothing out her shirt and wiping a stain off the side of her lips. Neither one of them was pleased at being interrupted again during an intimate moment.

"Look, I know CeCe's outburst was uncalled for," Rocky said, "but you have to understand what she is going through."

"What are you talking about?" Tinka questioned in confusion. "What kind of horrific experience is that little goat butt going through that makes her think she can dictate how my relationship with Ty should go?"

"At least you both are able to see each other every day," Rocky pointed out. "Günther is back in the old country. Do you think it's easy for CeCe to cope with her boyfriend living in another country, on another continent? How do you think she feels every time she sees you two being smitten with each other?"

Ty and Tinka looked at each other, both of them comprehending what Rocky had just told them, and they immediately felt a sense of guilt for their actions.

Just then, the warning bell rang, which was a sign that four minutes remained until the school day officially started.

"Listen, I have to get to biology," Rocky told the couple, "but just know that CeCe and both of you are at fault in this situation. The best thing to do is to just give each other some space to think. I want you all in the right state of mind, before talking to each other again."

Ty and Tinka nodded, as Rocky turned on her heels and headed in the direction that she came from. The star-crossed lovers looked at each other and sighed. It was bad enough that their forbidden romance was wreaking havoc on not only their lives, but also on the lives of their friends, and that was the last thing they wanted.

As the couple reached down to pick up their respective backpacks, they silently prayed that their issues concerning their forbidden romance, fragile friendship with CeCe, and Tinka's arranged marriage to Anton would soon be resolved.

Chapter 3 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	4. Chatting with Günther

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! On with Chapter 4! =D

Chapter 4: Chatting with Günther

It had been a few days since the arrival of the royal family in America and Tinka had managed to avoid any long conversations with Anton. She figured that if she purposely ignored him long enough, he would get the hint and call off the arranged marriage.

Unfortunately, Tinka had no plans the following night, so she had no choice but to endure a long dinner in her apartment with her parents and the royal family. The blonde dancer, who was seated directly across from Anton, looked incredibly displeased and silently cursed her mother for making the seating arrangements so uncomfortable for her. Despite that, Tinka was able to get through the appetizers and the main courses without speaking a word to Anton.

During dessert, Tinka's cell phone vibrated from inside her pocket. She quickly glanced at her parents, who were talking to Kamil and Anna, and looked back down at her phone, to see a new text message from Ty, which said:

_How's dinner with the Royal Jackass, babe? Do I need to rescue u?_

Tinka let out a soft giggle as she started typing a reply. Earlier that day, she told Ty about the dinner with her parents and the royal family, which she had no excuse not to attend. Even though Ty insisted that he watch her from the fire escape, to make sure Anton did not cross the line, Tinka warned him about the risk of getting caught by her parents and he withdrew the idea.

_LOL everything's fine. We have not spoken 2 each other yet 2nite. Don't worry, I can handle him. _

Once her reply had been sent, Tinka resumed the consumption of elk pudding in her bowl. She was on her third bite, when she received another text message from Ty, which said:

_K, I'm tired so going 2 bed early. Call if u need me. G'nite baby, love you! ;)_

Tinka smiled at Ty's protectiveness of her and quickly replied to his recent message with:

_Love you, too! Sleep well! ;)_

"Tinkabell," Kashlack said, giving his daughter a curious look, "are you on the phone with someone?"

Upon realizing that everyone at the dining table was watching her, Tinka quickly sent the reply and slipped her phone back into her skirt pocket.

"My darling, it's rude to use your cellular device at the dinner table," Squizza scolded, waving a reprimanding finger at her.

Normally, Tinka would frown at her mother for making her look disrespectful to the royal family. However, Tinka was still angry at her mother for arranging, with the help of Kashlack, her marriage to Anton, and wanted to make her look like the disrespectful person in the situation. Fortunately, she knew how to do just that.

"Forgive me, everyone," Tinka answered, apologetically. "My friend, Dina, requested the biology homework from me because she was absent from school today, due to an illness. Being a good friend, I wished to send her the textbook questions and my get well soon wishes. I hope you don't mind."

Anna bought her sweet act and detailed lie, and said with a smile, "Oh, no need to apologize for being supportive of a friend in need. We completely understand."

"Yes, Squizza, do not be so harsh on your daughter," Kamil told the Hessenheffer matriarch. "She did not do anything wrong."

Tinka masked the smug look on her face with a sweet smile, when she saw her mother turn red in embarrassment.

"So, Tinka," Kamil said, once he finished scolding Squizza, "we were just discussing the upcoming ball that Anton is sponsoring."

"A ball?" Tinka repeated.

"Yes, Anton is sponsoring the annual Chicago Autumn Ball, which takes place this Saturday night," Anna explained, happily.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Tinka commented, faking enthusiasm.

"And we would like you and your family to attend," Anton added, speaking for the first time that night.

"Kashlack and I would be honoured to attend!" Squizza gushed, happily.

Tinka raised an eyebrow, silently noting the overload of enthusiasm in her mother's voice when she accepted the royal family's invitation to the upcoming ball. It was obvious to Tinka that Squizza knew about the ball before Kamil officially announced it during dinner. In fact, she had a strong suspicion that Squizza planned for the ball to take place on such short notice. After all, such an extravagant event would be the perfect place to make an important announcement, or perhaps, in Tinka's mind, execute an official marriage proposal.

"Well, Tinka," Anton said, anxiously waiting for her answer, "will you grace my family and I with your presence at the ball?"

Normally, Tinka would politely decline the invitation, but she could feel her parents' gazes on her and knew that it would be foolish of her to refuse such an invitation. However, she did not want to confirm her attendance right away, as it would make her parents think that she was no longer objecting to Anton's advances towards her.

"A ball sounds like fun," Tinka said to Kamil and Anna, rather than to Anton, "but I must check with my boss. I must make sure that there's no dance broadcast Saturday night."

"Yes, your commitment to work is very important," Anna said with a nod of her head. "It is good to hear that you do not wish to slack it off."

Tinka nodded and faked a smile. She knew for weeks that the broadcast was on a Sunday night that week, but she felt that her parents did not need to know that. Putting off her response to the invitation would give her, hopefully, some time to come up with a better reason to not attend the ball. There was no way she could pull off a fake television broadcast to fool her parents and the royal family. It seemed impossible.

"Thank you, my Queen," Tinka said, sweetly. "I promise, I'll give you my confirmation of attendance to the ball, as soon as I check and make sure I don't have work that night."

"We will patiently wait for your reply," Kamil said, understandingly.

"Oh, Tinkabell, that reminds me!" Squizza said, excitedly. "You're more than welcome to invite CeCe, Rocky, and Dina to the ball. I'm sure they would love to spend some time with you."

Tinka smiled faded slightly, which went unnoticed by everyone at the table. She would love to have Rocky and Dina at the ball with her, so she would not have to endure Anton's advances alone. CeCe, however, had not spoken to Tinka since the outburst the day before, and the blonde was not going to invite someone to the ball that she was not on good terms with.

"Yes, the more the merrier!" Anna said, cheerfully.

"I'll be sure to invite them," Tinka answered, knowing that her answer was expected. "Of course, Rocky and CeCe also work with me and may not be able to attend should we have to work on the night of the ball. Dina may have plans already, but I'll check with her, as well."

"Well, just be sure to let us know if you and your friends can attend the ball," Squizza told her daughter. "Oh, and they're more than welcome to bring dates."

Tinka nodded and said, "May I be excused? I wish to retire for the night."

When Squizza nodded, Tinka stood up, wished everyone a good night, and exited the dining room. She walked down the hallway and into her bedroom. She quietly shut the door behind her and then sat at her computer desk, in front of her laptop.

The blonde dancer sighed to herself as she logged onto her instant messaging account. She did not want to go to the upcoming ball because she had a strong feeling that Anton was going to propose to her there. She felt pressured by her parents to accept, should the prince propose, and knew if she did not accept, she would bring shame to the whole family. It seemed like there was no way out for her.

A green icon on her contacts list indicated that Günther was online. Tinka eagerly right-clicked his name and requested a video chat with him. If there was anyone that knew her as well as Ty did, it was her twin brother, Günther, and Tinka hoped that he could give her some advice on how to deal with the situation she was in.

Günther obviously accepted the request because, then, two separate screens popped up. One screen had Tinka on it, which showed how Günther was viewing her, and the other screen had Günther on it. Judging by his sparkly clothes and combed hair, he did not seem to have changed much since he moved back to the old country. However, he had certainly gotten more attractive, if that was even possible.

"Hello, dear brother!" Tinka greeted, cheerfully.

"Hello, sister twin!" Günther replied, just as cheerfully. "I miss you!"

"Oh, I miss you, too, Günther," Tinka told him. She quickly did a mental calculation, raised an eyebrow, and added, "Um, why aren't you sleeping? It's early morning in the old country, isn't it?"

"It is, but I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep," Günther explained. "So, did anything new happen since I left?"

"Actually, yes," Tinka said, frowning at the first thing that came to her mind. "You will not believe what happened to me."

"Did Prince Anton propose already?" Günther asked with an air of surprise.

"No, but –", Tinka began, "- wait, how do you know that Anton is here?"

"Mama and Papa e-mailed me a while ago and told me that the entire royal family was visiting," Günther explained.

"So, you know about my arranged marriage," Tinka said, sadly.

"Yes, I was told about it in the e-mail," Günther replied with a nod of his head. "Originally, I was to be arranged to marry Princess Kasia, but Prince Anton is older and the heir to the throne. You marrying Prince Anton would ensure that a Hessenheffer reigns over the old country again. Even if I was arranged to marry Kasia, I could never go through with it. Despite the long distance, I have been dating CeCe for two years and I could never imagine being with anyone else other than -".

"Wait, hold your goats!" Tinka cried as their recent conversation replayed in her mind. "Why did you ask if Anton proposed to me already?"

"He did not propose yet?" Günther asked, looking puzzled.

"Yet?" Tinka repeated, sounding horrified. "You mean he really is going to propose?"

"Oh, sorry, Tinka, I thought he did already," Günther said, sympathetically. "I did not mean to ruin the surprise."

"It is okay, you confirmed my suspicions," Tinka explained, calming down slightly. "The royal family told me during dinner about the upcoming Chicago Autumn Ball that Anton is sponsoring, and I had a strong suspicion about it when they insisted I should attend."

"Oh, Mama didn't tell me about a ball, nor when the proposal was going to take place," Günther said. "She just told me, in a recent e-mail, that Anton was going to propose to you. She hoped the proposal would make you more open to the marriage."

"Well, she shouldn't get her hopes up," Tinka said, angrily. "Anton's proposal will not make a difference; I will not agree to marry him."

"That reminds me, how's Ty?" Günther asked, curiously. "Did he take the news of your arranged marriage well?"

"No," Tinka said, shaking her head. "I think he wants to murder the prince."

Günther laughed and said, "Ty loves you, he would kill for you if he had to."

Tinka cracked a small smile as a tear slid down her cheek. She knew that Ty loved her immensely and she loved him just as much. If only her parents knew that she was in love with him. If only they knew that he would rather die than hurt her. If only they accepted their relationship so she could stop all of the secrecy and not have to marry Anton. The thought of being trapped in an arranged marriage brought more tears to her eyes.

"Sister twin, what is wrong?" Günther asked, concerned.

"Günther, I love Ty!" Tinka sobbed, wiping aside some tears. "I don't want to marry Anton, but Mama and Papa won't take no for an answer! I don't know what to do!"

Günther's heart broke at the sight of his sister crying. He could not bear to see her so miserable and vulnerable. He did not like the idea of Tinka being forced to marry Anton, and he would do anything to help her get out of the arranged marriage.

"Tinka, you know what you must do then," Günther said, softly.

Tinka blew her nose into one of her sparkly handkerchiefs and asked, "What?"

"I know why you and Ty decided to date each other in secret," Günther said, "but if you really love him, and if you really want to show Mama and Papa you don't want to marry Prince Anton, then this secret is one not to be taken to your grave."

Tinka nodded, understandingly, and said in a quiet voice, "I have to tell them, don't I?"

"I am afraid so," Günther said. "I know Mama and Papa don't like Ty at all, but perhaps you can convince them to give him a chance. It will not hurt to try."

"It's probably the only way to get out of my arranged marriage," Tinka said with a sigh. "I have no choice."

"Do not worry, I'll be there to support you," Günther reassured her with a smile. "In fact, I'll be in Chicago in two days for a visit."

"Really?" Tinka exclaimed, her face instantly brightening. "Oh, I can't wait to see you!"

"I can't wait to see you all," Günther said, happily.

"You should go try and get some sleep now, Günther," Tinka suggested. "You don't want to be too tired and miss your flight."

"Okay, I'll try," Günther said. "Oh, and Tinka, don't tell CeCe that I'm visiting. I want it to be a surprise."

"I will not say a word about it at all," Tinka promised him. Technically, it was the truth; she would not talk to someone she was not on good speaking terms with. "It can be a surprise for everyone."

"That sounds good," Günther said, nodding in agreement. "I'll e-mail you my flight number and arrival time before I go to bed, so you can meet me at the airport on Friday."

"Okay," Tinka said, affirmatively. "Good night, Günther."

"Good night, Tinka," Günther replied.

Tinka closed the chat screens and logged out of her instant messaging account. She quickly changed into a pair of sparkly pyjamas and smiled, for the first time that night, at the thought of Günther visiting. She knew CeCe was going to be surprised when he arrived and, despite still being angry at CeCe, she felt happy for her and Günther.

As she climbed into bed and scooted underneath her glittery blanket, Tinka thought of possible ways to reveal her relationship with Ty to her parents and to the royal family. A thought barely crossed her mind, as exhaustion carried her off to sleep.

Chapter 4 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	5. Planning the Revelation

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 5! =D

Chapter 5: Planning the Revelation

"We have to do what?" Ty questioned, loudly.

Tinka put down her napkin and said, "I said we have to tell my parents about our relationship."

CeCe, Rocky, Deuce, and Dina listened in on the conversation between the two star-crossed lovers, the remaining cheesy slices of pizza on the table left unclaimed.

"We can no longer hide this, Ty," Tinka told him. "If my parents knew about our relationship, maybe I can get out of my arranged marriage with Anton."

"But your parents hate Ty," Rocky pointed out to the blonde. "Why would they cancel a marriage between you and a guy they approve of, just so you can be with a guy who they completely despise?"

"I know they completely loathe, Ty," Tinka said, "but we have to take this chance. Perhaps my parents will grow to like him. I already told my parents that I don't wish to marry Anton. Now, it's time to show them."

Everyone around the table nodded, understandingly, but Ty was the one who was the most impressed. He suddenly had a newfound respect for Tinka. It was obvious that she loved him so much and the thought of her doing whatever she could to stay with him made him smile.

"Well, we've got your back," Deuce told Tinka, speaking for everyone at the table.

"Yeah, baby, I'll do anything for you," Ty said, draping his arm over her shoulders. "So, if you want to tell your parents about us, then I'm all for it."

"Thank you," Tinka said, gratefully. She smiled at having such supportive friends. Even CeCe, despite their recent argument, flashed the blonde a small smile, which she quickly returned.

"So, Tinka," Rocky said, poking her salad with her fork, "how do you plan on revealing your relationship with Ty to your parents?"

Tinka could not help but smirk at her idea of a revelation, an idea which jerked her awake, in the middle of the night, in excitement. The upcoming ball, she realized, was providing more than just an opportunity for Anton to propose. In fact, it was the perfect time, Tinka believed, to execute a startling revelation.

"Tinka?" Rocky said, noticing the devious look on the blonde's face. "What's your plan?"

"Well, Anton is sponsoring the annual Chicago Autumn Ball, which takes place this Saturday night," Tinka explained, "and I'm, unfortunately, obligated to attend."

"Are you going as his date?" Dina asked, curiously.

"No, he never said I was his date, he just asked my family and I to go," Tinka answered. "That being said, I'm going to show up with Ty."

"That's your idea of a revelation?" Rocky asked, surprised. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Tinka said with a nod of her head. "The revelation has to be made in public, so my parents will be less likely to make a scene."

"And the less likely your father will kill me with one of his butcher knives," Ty added, cringing at the thought of being impaled with dozens of sharp knives.

"You both make good points," Rocky told the couple. "It sounds like a good idea. Let us know how it turns out."

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Tinka said, turning to CeCe, Rocky, and Dina. "My mother is inviting you three to the ball, as well, so you'll be there to witness the revelation."

"I'm in!" Rocky said, excitedly. "There's no way I'm missing this."

"And my mother also said you can bring dates," Tinka added to the girls.

Dina grinned, wrapped her arm around Deuce, and said, "Problem solved."

CeCe sighed, wishing that she could say the same thing. Although the redhead was glad that Tinka's invitation indicated that she did not seem angry at her anymore, the ball reminded her that Günther was not available to take her. Treasured memories of her and Günther started flooding her mind and her mood darkened slightly.

"Lucky you, Dina," Rocky said, sadly. "Unlike CeCe and I, you have a date."

"You don't need a date to have fun," Tinka told Rocky. "Just good friends."

"Well, we've got plenty of those," Rocky said, her face brightening. "Now, all we have to do is shop for dresses."

"We better hurry," Dina said, sounding concerned. "The ball is only two days away."

"I have a suggestion," Tinka said, getting the attention of both of the brunettes. "Why don't you come over to my place and pick out a dress from one of my formal wear collections?"

Rocky bit her bottom lip at the thought of wearing an original Tinka Hessenheffer design, and said, "Um, I don't think your designs are quite my style, Tink."

"Yeah, no offense, but I don't want to go to the ball, looking like a walking disco ball," Dina remarked.

Tinka, who was slightly offended by the comments, said, "I do have a collection of semi-sparkly formal wear that you can choose from. Once you select a dress, I can take measurements and make all of the alterations in time for the ball."

"That's a good idea," Dina commented with a smile. "I'm all for it."

"Me, too," Rocky added, excitedly.

"Well, how about you girls go with Tinka and get that done now?" Ty suggested. "Deuce and I will go and rent tuxes."

"Sounds good," Dina said, pushing her plate aside. "Let's go."

There was a sequence of small squeaks as the six teenagers slid their chairs back and stood up. Ty and Deuce were the first ones up the stairs. Rocky and Dina, having started a conversation about suitable dress styles for their body types, were right behind them.

CeCe, without saying a single word, started making her way up the stairs as well. She had only climbed three steps, when she felt a manicured hand on her shoulders.

"CeCe, wait," Tinka said, approaching the redhead from behind.

CeCe stopped in her tracks and turned to the blonde, who was biting her bottom lip and looking up at her anxiously. It seemed that Tinka wanted to say something more, but it refused to come out in words.

"Tinka, I'm sorry," CeCe said, unable to handle the unbearable silence. "It's not your fault that Günther isn't here. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"No, I'm the one who should apologize," Tinka said. "Ty and I, we should have been more considerate of you and what you're going through."

"Believe me, I'm happy for you and Ty," CeCe said, truthfully. "It's just hard seeing you and Ty like that. It just reminds me of how much I miss Günther."

"I'm sure he misses you, too," Tinka said. "Look, let's just put this silly argument behind us and move on, shall we?"

CeCe nodded and said, "Yeah, let's do that. Besides, you and Ty are going through a hard time right now, and who knows how Saturday night is going to turn out. Both of you are going to need all the support you can get."

Tinka smiled gratefully, and said, "We better catch up with Rocky and Dina."

CeCe returned the smile with one of her own, and turned around to climb the rest of the stairs with Tinka right behind her.

* * *

"Tinkabell!" Squizza exclaimed as her daughter entered the apartment. "It is good to see that you are home!"

Tinka nodded in her mother's direction, but did not say a single word. She did, however, smile at Kasia, who was standing nearby. Even though Tinka disliked Anton with every fiber in her body, she held no grudge against his sister, who was nothing but friendly to her.

CeCe, Rocky, and Dina, who were standing behind Tinka, raised their eyebrows at each other. They could obviously sense the tension in the room. Anton, who was standing on the other side of Squizza, was only adding to the tension, and the girls knew that just one word from Anton could set Tinka off.

Squizza turned her attention to CeCe, Rocky, and Dina, and said, "Girls, it is wonderful to have you in our lovely home once again."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hessenheffer," Rocky said, politely.

"Mama, please excuse us," Tinka said, purposely not acknowledging Anton. "I would like to take my friends to my room, so they can select dresses to wear to the upcoming ball."

"Of course!" Squizza said with a smile, sounding extremely pleased the minute Tinka mentioned the ball. "After all, Saturday night will be a very important night, so you all must look your best."

CeCe, Rocky, and Dina could not help but smirk. Squizza may have had her own reason for why the night of the ball was going to be a big night, but the girls themselves knew that Saturday night, for them, was going to be a big night for a completely different reason, and they were looking forward to it.

Tinka refrained from scowling, as she finally turned to Anton, and said, "Prince Anton, if you would be so kind as to step aside, it would be greatly appreciated."

Anton smiled, thinking Tinka was finally warming up to him, and moved aside. "As you wish, Tinka."

Tinka simply nodded at him, as her silent way of thanking him, and walked directly past him. CeCe, Rocky, and Dina followed her. The four girls were almost in the hallway, when Kasia called out to them.

"Yes, Kasia?" Tinka asked, turning around to address the princess.

"I was wondering if, that is, if you do not mind," Kasia said, "may I accompany you and your friends to your room?"

"Of course," Tinka said, smiling genuinely. "You are more than welcome to join us."

Kasia smiled gleefully and followed the four girls down the hallway. She was the last one of them to enter Tinka's bedroom and, after making sure all of the girls were present, closed the door behind her.

Dina took one look around the glittery bedroom and said, "So, Tinka, where do you keep the dresses?"

"In the closet," Tinka answered. "Where else?"

Rocky, who was the one standing the closest to the closet, reached for one of the shiny doorknobs and slid the door aside. The minute she did, the sight of the closet's contents instantly had a negative effect on her vision.

"Oh, wow!" the brunette dancer cried, shielding her eyes with her hands. "Those dresses are so sparkly, someone could go blind!"

"Close that door and slide open the other one," Tinka told her, clearly not affected by the brightness of her designs. "I stored my semi-sparkly formal collection on the other side of the closet."

Rocky did not need to be told twice. While using one hand to continue shielding her eyes, she used the other hand to feel around for the doorknob. Once she grasped it, she quickly slid the door closed. She then pushed the other door aside and smiled, silently thankful that she did not lose her eyesight.

CeCe, Dina, and Kasia smiled at the large selection of cocktail dresses, evening gowns, and ball gowns that were hanging inside the second half of Tinka's closet. They varied in colour, design, and material. They were not as sparkly as the dresses inside the first half of the closet, but they were sparkly in areas that made the dresses more appealing without going overboard.

"Wow, it's like there's a dress in there for every girl in Chicago," CeCe commented, astonished by the dresses.

"Well, don't just stand there, girls," Tinka scolded with a laugh. "Start trying on dresses. Once you select your favourite, I'll start pinning and taking measurements for alterations."

CeCe grinned and bolted for the closet. A bright pink cocktail dress caught her eye and she gently pulled it off its hanger.

Rocky and Dina joined CeCe in the search for dresses. Rocky fingered the material of a red evening gown that caught her attention, while Dina reached for a blue ball gown near the back of the closet.

Tinka walked over to her desk and pulled open one of the side drawers. She had just pulled out a small box of pins, when Kasia's voice caused her to look up again.

"Tinka, is that ball gown complete?" the princess asked.

Tinka looked to the gown that Kasia was referring to, which was hanging on a mannequin nearby. The gown was an off-the-shoulder gown and fitted from the waist up. The bodice area was sky blue in colour and coated with silver sparkles. Layers of silk taffeta made up the bottom half of the gown. The layers near the top were also sky blue, but gradually became darker the further down on the gown they were located.

"It is a very beautiful design," Kasia commented, smiling.

"Thank you," Tinka said, gratefully. "I finished betwinkling it last week."

"Tinka, if you kindness permits it," Kasia began, "I would be honoured to wear that gown to the ball on Saturday."

Tinka could not help but smile brightly. After all, it was not everyday that the princess of the old country asked her for permission to wear one of her designs to such a prestigious event. "If you would like to wear it to the ball, Kasia, then you may."

"Thank you, Tinka," Kasia said, kindly.

"There is no need to thank me," Tinka said. "I consider it a great honour if you wear one of my designs."

"May I try it on, so we can see if any alterations may need to be made?" Kasia asked, politely.

Tinka nodded and walked over to the mannequin, and proceeded to carefully remove the ball gown. As she did, she looked to Kasia and smiled again, grateful that something good came out of the royal family's visit: a new friend.

Chapter 5 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	6. Surprising a Friend

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 6! =D

Chapter 6: Surprising a Friend

"So, Tinka," Kasia said, as the traffic light outside the limo turned green. "What is Günther like?"

"Well, since Günther is my twin brother," Tinka said, "it only makes sense that he is like a male version of me."

Kasia laughed and asked, "Is his wardrobe sparkly like yours?"

"Yes," Tinka answered with a quick glance at CeCe. "If only he was here in Chicago with us."

Kasia smiled and looked around the limo at Anton, CeCe, Rocky, Dina, Ty, and Deuce, all six of whom had joined her and Tinka's journey to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to greet Günther upon his arrival. CeCe was the only one who did not know that they were meeting up with Günther. The others, however, were secretly informed by Tinka beforehand about the surprise.

As their limousine pulled up to the arrival terminal of the airport, CeCe turned to Tinka and asked, "So, who exactly are we picking up at the airport?"

"Oh, just a relative, a fellow Hessenheffer," Tinka answered, nonchalantly. It was not a total lie; she was just concealing some of the truth.

"Yeah, apparently she wants us to meet him," Rocky added, as casually as she could.

"Just what Chicago needs," Deuce said, jokingly. "Another Hessenheffer."

All of the passengers laughed as the limousine pulled up to the arrival terminal of the airport. The vehicle came to a halt, followed by the click of a door opening, and the sound of footsteps becoming louder.

Once the driver opened the door, Ty exited the limousine and offered his hand to Tinka, who allowed him to help her out. CeCe, Rocky, and Dina followed the couple out, with Deuce right behind them. Anton, who did not seem to notice Ty's actions towards Tinka, stepped out and held out his hand, so Kasia could easily climb out and not trip on her royal robes.

As soon as they were all standing outside of the terminal, Tinka released Ty's hand and walked over to an electronic screen, which displayed the day's incoming flights and their arrival times. Anton joined CeCe, Rocky, Dina, Ty, and Deuce on a nearby bench.

"Did he land yet?" Kasia asked, approaching Tinka from behind.

"Yes, five minutes ago," Tinka said, spotting his flight number on the screen. "He should be out momentarily after he collects his luggage."

Anton, meanwhile, was carrying on a quiet conversation with Dina, Ty, and Deuce. All four of them could not wait to see the look on CeCe's face when she learned the identity of Tinka's relative that they were meeting up with. They smiled at each other knowingly, struggling to contain their excitement.

CeCe, however, rested her chin on her hand and her elbow on her knee. She had a glum look on her face, a look that did not go unnoticed by her best friend.

"CeCe, what's wrong?" Rocky asked, concerned.

"Nothing," CeCe said, quietly. "I'm just thinking about the ball tomorrow night, that's all."

"Well, why aren't you excited about it?" Rocky asked, sounding genuinely confused. "It's going to be so much fun."

"Not when you don't have a date," CeCe muttered, heaving a sigh.

Rocky, who noticed a moving figure out of the corner of her eye, said to CeCe, "You miss Günther, don't you?"

"Why wouldn't I?" CeCe replied, staring at her shoes. "It's been months since we've talked."

"Well, that can easily be fixed," Rocky said with a smirk on her face. "Look up."

CeCe raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told. The minute she lifted her head, her eyes widened in surprise and she stopped breathing.

Although exhausted from his long flight to Chicago, Günther cheerfully walked up to the group of teenagers on the bench. His eyes sparkled when they landed on the redhead, who was failing to keep her tears of joy from sliding down her cheeks.

CeCe, meanwhile, smiled broadly upon seeing her boyfriend. He certainly had not changed a bit since she last saw him; his clothing was splattered with glitter and rhinestones. His blonde, windswept locks slightly covered one of his eyes in a seductive manner. His smile, a feature of his that she certainly missed, brightened her mood immensely.

Rocky, Anton, Dina, Ty, and Deuce watched the scene unfold before them. Tinka passed Kasia a sparkly handkerchief, both of them with tears in their eyes as well.

CeCe, who could not believe what was happening, said, "Günther?"

"What, no hug, bay-bee?" Günther asked, playfully.

The redhead did not waste another second. She leaped off of her seat and into Günther's open arms, not caring who saw her. The tough CeCe Jones, who barely showed anyone her vulnerability, buried her face in Günther's shiny jacket and held onto him tightly, having missed his warm embrace for the past two years.

Günther, who was thrilled to be back in Chicago, did not mind that his girlfriend was using his precious jacket as a tissue. He was just glad to see her again.

Deuce, who was surprised to see the redhead break down, said, "CeCe, are you crying?"

"No," CeCe mumbled, pulling back from Günther's embrace and giving her friends a clear view of her tear-stained cheeks, "I just…I just have an eyelash in my eye and can't get it out."

Rocky giggled as CeCe blinked her eyes rapidly to prevent any more tears from falling. She knew the real reason for why her best friend was really crying and could not help but feel happy for her.

"Oh, welcome back, man!" Ty said, slapping Günther on his shoulder. "We've missed you around here!"

"Believe me, I certainly missed you all as well," Günther answered, pulling out a sparkly handkerchief, like Tinka's, and gave it to CeCe. "I'm happy to be back."

"Well done, everyone," Tinka said to Anton, Kasia, Rocky, Ty, Deuce, and Dina. "We have successfully pulled off the surprise!"

"Wait, you guys all knew?" CeCe asked, pausing shortly after to blow her nose into the handkerchief. "You kept all this from me?"

"My apologies, sugar muffin," Günther said, wrapping his arm around CeCe. "I wanted to surprise you with my visit, so I told Tinka to keep it a secret."

"I figured that everyone else wanted to greet Günther upon his arrival as well, so I informed them of the surprise, and made them promise not to tell you," Tinka added, smiling at CeCe.

"Well, it was a very good surprise," CeCe commented with a smile of her own. "I guess I'm not CeCe "Unsurprisable" Jones after all."

Dina laughed and said, "There you go, CeCe, you got what you wanted: a date to the ball."

CeCe nodded and said, "Yeah, but I'm just glad to see Günther again."

Günther looked from CeCe to Anton and Kasia. He knew who they were, as he had seen them attend prestigious events back in the old country; however, he was never formally introduced to them. "Well, who do we have here?"

Tinka gestured with her hand for Anton and Kasia to step forward. She then gestured to Günther, and said, "Allow me to introduce you both to my twin brother, Günther Hessenheffer." Then, she gestured to the royal siblings, and said to Günther, "This is Prince Anton and Princess Kasia of the Byalikov royal family."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Günther," Kasia said with a curtsey.

"Well, it is an honour to meet you, your Highness," Günther said, taking her hand in his and kissing it. He then turned to Anton and, although he disliked the prince for trying to force Tinka to marry him, he smiled at him and shook his hand. "The same goes for you, my Prince."

"Thank you, Günther," Anton answered with a slight bow, "but we are all friends here. Addressing us by our royal titles is not necessary."

"Yes, addressing us by our first names only is perfectly fine," Kasia added, kindly.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving," Ty said, rubbing his stomach.

"Hey, why don't we all go to Crusty's for some pizza and catch up?" Deuce suggested.

"Sounds like a plan!" Rocky exclaimed, looking to CeCe, Ty, Günther, Tinka, and Dina all five of whom had nodded their heads in agreement.

"Would you like to join us, Anton and Kasia?" Günther asked.

"Certainly," Kasia answered, sounding interested in the idea. "I have never eaten pizza before, but I have always been open to trying new foods."

"Yes, thank you, Günther," Anton said, gratefully. "My sister and I would love to accompany you and your friends for a meal."

"Okay, to the limo everyone!" CeCe called, ushering the group towards the limousine.

Rocky and Dina obeyed and walked off, chatting amicably with Ty and Deuce. Günther and CeCe followed them from behind, with CeCe holding onto one of Günther heavy suitcases for him. Anton and Kasia trailed the couple from behind. Tinka darted past the prince and princess, and walked on the other side of Günther.

Günther casually glanced back at Anton, then at Tinka, and whispered, "So, he is the goat butt that Mama and Papa are strongly encouraging you to marry?"

Tinka nodded with a scowl, and said, "Do not call him a goat butt, Günther, it would be an insult to goat butts."

Anton and Kasia raised their eyebrows in confusion when they saw CeCe, Günther, and Tinka burst into laughter in front of them, but the prince and princess decided not to directly question their behaviour.

* * *

After a few hours of eating pizza, slurping sodas, and talking enthusiastically, the group of nine teenagers decided to go their separate ways. Ty announced loudly that he was going home and left first. Tinka was the next to leave, after telling everyone that she would be stopping by the fabric store when, in reality, she was secretly meeting up with Ty at the park. Anton and Kasia, who believed Ty and Tinka's lies, decided to go to the Hessenheffer apartment. Günther, CeCe, and Rocky were the last to leave; they said their goodbyes to Deuce, who stayed behind to cover a work shift for his cousin. Dina also stayed behind to keep Deuce company.

Rocky joined Günther and CeCe on the way back to the apartment; Rocky hoped to get some more homework assignments out of the way before the ball the following night, while Günther and CeCe wanted some "alone time" with each other.

Logan was sitting on the front steps, enjoying the warm, autumn weather, when his stepsister, her boyfriend, and her best friend approached him. He was fortunate that his father had second thoughts about his second thoughts about Georgia, and that things worked out between him and her. Despite his dislike towards CeCe, Logan valued the new sibling bond between them because it brought him closer to Rocky.

"Hey, Logan!" Rocky called, alerting Logan of their arrival.

Logan spotted the trio and stood up to greet them. "Hey, guys."

"Oh, Günther, this is my stepbrother, Logan," CeCe said, introducing the two of them to each other for the first time. "Logan, this is my boyfriend, Günther."

"Nice to meet you," Günther said, shaking Logan's hand. He had heard of Georgia's second marriage to a man with a son of his own through one of CeCe's e-mails. "CeCe told me about you and her new stepfather."

"Yeah, she told me about you, too, and I think you're a great guy," Logan said, his grip on Günther's hand tightening and his eyes narrowing, "but I certainly hope I won't have to correct myself if you break my sister's heart."

"Trust me, I don't think that's going to happen, Logan," Rocky reassured him.

"Well, I'll take your word for it, Rocky," Logan said with a smile, as he released his grip on Günther's hand.

"Well, if you two need us, we'll be in my room," CeCe said, dragging Günther up the steps.

"Wait, you're bringing your boyfriend into your room with Mom and Dad not home?" Logan questioned.

"Yeah, that's exactly why I'm bringing my boyfriend into my room," CeCe answered.

Before Logan could reply, CeCe had already pushed the doors open and pulled Günther inside the apartment building with her. He groaned as the doors closed behind them.

"If they're going to do what I think they're going to do, you better stay out here for a while," Rocky said with a laugh.

Logan chuckled and said, "Yeah, thanks for the advice."

Rocky smiled. She loved being around Logan. In fact, she could even say that she saw him as more than her best friend's stepbrother, more than a friend. However, she was not sure that her romantic feelings for him were mutual, so she kept them to herself.

"You know," Logan began, breaking the silence between them, "since I'm going to be out here for a while, I wouldn't mind having some company."

Rocky blushed slightly, and said, "Thanks, Logan, but I'm going to go upstairs. I want to get some homework finished, so I can enjoy tomorrow night."

"Oh, yeah, the ball," Logan said. "CeCe mentioned something about Ty and Tinka and how they're going to reveal some sort of big secret during it."

"Yeah, and they're going to need all of the support they can get," Rocky explained. "Fortunately, Tinka's mother invited Dina, CeCe, me, and our dates to the ball, so we'll be able to be there to support Ty and Tinka."

"At least Günther is here to go with CeCe," Logan said.

Rocky nodded and added, "Yeah, and Ty is going with Tinka, and Deuce is obviously going with Dina."

"What about you?" Logan asked, curiously. "Who are you going with?"

"Me?" Rocky asked. When Logan nodded, she said, "Oh, nobody."

"Oh," Logan said, sadly. "Sorry to hear that."

"It's okay, it's no big deal," Rocky said, shrugging it off. "The important thing is to be there for Ty and Tinka, and that's what I'm going to do, whether I have a date or not."

Logan nodded again, as he looked at Rocky. It seemed like he wanted to say something else to her, but nothing further came out of his mouth, except a cough, which was likely an attempt to hide whatever he wanted to say.

Rocky faked a smile and said, "Well, I'm going upstairs. It was nice seeing you, Logan."

Logan quickly turned towards the steps and called, "Rocky, wait!"

Rocky, who was halfway up the steps, turned around. "Yes, Logan?"

Logan took a deep breath, let it out, and said, "If you don't mind, I would love to take you to the ball tomorrow night."

Rocky quickly glanced towards the sky, but saw no pigs flying. She was not dreaming. She looked back down at Logan and said, "Really?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind," Logan said with a smile. "I would love to go with you, that is, if you would let me."

"Yes," Rocky said, with a smile of her own and without hesitation. "I would love that."

"Zam!" Logan exclaimed, happily. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Rocky nodded, silently. She waved at Logan, before she climbed the rest of the steps. She pushed open the apartment doors and went inside. The minute the doors closed behind her, she leaned against them and smiled gleefully.

Little did the brunette dancer know was that, outside of the apartment, Logan was expressing his excitement by dancing so wildly that people who passed him by thought he was trying to summon rain.

Chapter 6 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

**For fanfiction updates and more, follow me on Twitter: TeenQueen661**

~TeenQueen661


	7. Spilling the Beans

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 7! =D

Chapter 7: Spilling the Beans

Squizza smiled to herself as she took in her surroundings for the twelfth time that night. The ballroom that Anton selected as the venue for the ball that he was sponsoring consisted of sparkly, white walls and a polished, marble floor. Round tables, seating about eight people each, bordered the enormous dance floor, and each table was draped in a white tablecloth and contained various pieces of fine china. In addition to the crystal chandelier that hung above the dance floor, bright lights along the walls lit up the room.

Kashlack complimented Anton on a job well done in planning the ball, while Squizza clapped her hands in excitement. She was certain that it was going to be a magical night for Tinka because Anton planned on proposing to her during the ball, and the Hessenheffer matriarch had no doubt in her mind that all of Anton's work in planning the ball would convince her daughter to change her mind about the arranged marriage.

Anton looked around the ballroom and noted that a majority of the guests were already present at the ball. His parents were already seated at their table with Kashlack and Squizza, dressed in their best, royal robes. Kasia, who was speaking to her mother, looked radiant in the gown that she had chosen from Tinka's personal clothing line. However, Tinka and her friends had yet to arrive, and the prince was concerned that she would not show up.

"Is something troubling you, Prince Anton?" Kashlack asked, noticing the worry on the prince's face.

"I was just wondering why Tinka and her friends have not arrived yet," Anton answered, looking away from the giant staircase that let to a pair of open, double doors. "The dinner will begin soon."

"Don't worry, they're on their way," Squizza reassured him. "I spoke to Tinka a couple of minutes ago and she said that although they had to take a detour to avoid some road construction, they'll be here shortly."

Anton nodded, oblivious to the fact that what Tinka told her mother was not entirely true. Although Tinka was correct when she told Squizza that they would be arriving at the ball shortly, she had lied when she said that their slight delay was due to road construction. She and her friends planned to be the last of the guests to arrive, so everyone's attention would be on them. This was especially important for Ty and Tinka because they needed to be the sole attention of Kashlack, Squizza, and the royal family when they walked in as a couple.

A middle-aged man, who was selected to be the announcer for the evening's festivities, made his way back into the ballroom and took his place in front of the microphone on the stage near the doors. He signaled for the orchestra behind him to play some soft, classical music, as he was prepared to announce the arrival of the few couples who were the last to arrive.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the man announced, causing everyone in the ballroom to look at him, "please join me in welcoming to the ball…the delightful Dina Garcia, escorted by her boyfriend of three years…Martin Martinez."

All of the guests politely applauded as Deuce and Dina entered the ballroom and descended the staircase, arm in arm. Deuce was wearing a black tuxedo, matching black dress shoes, a purple tie, and a pair of black headphones around his neck. Dina, meanwhile, looked extravagant in a dark purple, one-shoulder, flowing, evening gown and black heels. Her brunette locks were tied in a simple, side ponytail that rested on her left shoulder. The couple seated themselves at their own table and smiled at the Hessenheffer parents and the royal family, whose table was next to theirs.

"Now, please join me in welcoming to the ball," the announcer continued, "the lovely Raquel Blue, escorted by her date for the evening…Logan Hunter."

Logan and Rocky, who were blushing madly, made their way down the staircase to applause as well. Logan wore the same tuxedo and shoes as Deuce, except for the absence of headphones. Rocky looked elegant in a navy blue, strapless, floor-length, evening gown, which matched Logan's tie. Her wavy hair fell down, past her shoulders, in beautiful waves. On her feet was a pair of silver heels.

Once Logan took his seat between Deuce and Rocky, the announced cleared his throat and said, "Now, please join me in welcoming to the ball…the dazzling Cecelia Jones, escorted by her boyfriend of two years…the Honourable Günther Hessenheffer."

Günther and CeCe descended the staircase to another round of applause. Günther, who smiled at the acknowledgement of his royal blood, wore a black dress shirt, an emerald-green vest coated in sparkles, black slacks, and matching black shoes. CeCe, who was beaming at everyone she passed, looked stunning in her emerald-green, halter-top, mermaid-style, evening gown and matching heels. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her back in neat waves.

Kashlack and Squizza smiled proudly at their son as they watched him pull out CeCe's chair out for her. Once she was seated next to Rocky, Günther took his seat on the other side of CeCe.

"And, finally," the announcer said, "the last guests of the night…"

Immediately, Kashlack and Squizza turned their attention to the staircase, eagerly awaiting their daughter's entrance. The entire royal family followed suit and Anton nervously smoothed out his royal robes with his hands. CeCe, Rocky, Deuce, Logan, Günther, and Dina could not help but smirk at the revelation that was about to come.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said, loudly, "please join me in welcoming to the ball…the Honourable Tinka Hessenheffer, escorted by her boyfriend of two years…Ty Blue."

Upon hearing this, Squizza choked on the red wine that she was sipping, while Kashlack's eyes widened in disbelief. The Hessenheffer matriarch closed her eyes and silently prayed that she misheard the announcer.

All eyes in the ballroom, including those of the royal family, were on Ty and Tinka as they descended the staircase to a round of applause that was much louder than the rest. Ty looked handsome in his black tuxedo, matching black shoes, and red tie. Tinka, whose royal blood was also acknowledged, looked gorgeous in her strapless, self-designed, evening gown; the top half was a fitted blend of red, purple, and pink, with a sweetheart neckline, while the bottom half was a flowing skirt of soft, fake, white feathers. A pair of red high heels and her hair in a wavy ponytail completed the look.

"Kashlack and Squizza, I must say," Anna said, turning to the two people in question, "we are surprised to learn that your daughter is in a romantic relationship with another man."

"Trust us, Queen Anna, we're just as surprised as you are," Kashlack told her, speaking for himself and Squizza.

"You mean," Kamil said with an air of surprise, "you were unaware of her relationship with this…Ty Blue?"

Squizza nodded and said, quietly, "Until now."

"I wonder why she had originally decided to keep her love for him a secret from her own parents," Kasia said, deep in thought.

Kashlack and Squizza, who had a feeling they knew the reason for all the secrecy, watched Ty and Tinka approach their friends' table. Ty pulled out Tinka's chair for her, just like Günther did for CeCe, and Tinka gratefully sat down. Without a single glance at the table next to them, because he feared the deadly look on Kashlack's face, Ty took the remaining seat between Tinka and Dina.

Kashlack and Squizza had never, in their entire lives, been more disappointed in their daughter. Dating someone behind their back was one thing. Dating someone they had expressed their intense dislike for was another. However, choosing to sit with her friends and boyfriend, rather than at the table with her parents, her supposed fiancé, and her potential in-laws was the ultimate betrayal, and Kashlack and Squizza were not going to let her get away with that, unscathed.

However, before the enraged parents could get up to scold their daughter, waiters and waitresses flooded the ballroom, delivering the first dish of the planned, ten-course meal for the night.

* * *

Once the last of the dishes were cleared, couples began rising from their seats. The orchestra, who had being playing a variety of classical music during the entire dinner, struck up a waltz song, so couples could take the dance floor. Couples who did not want to dance, whether at the moment or at all, remained in their seats to talk or were mingling with others on the outside of the dance floor.

Dina remained at the table, having a comical conversation with Deuce and Logan. Günther and CeCe were on the dance floor; Günther was attempting to teach CeCe how to waltz properly, but it was becoming increasingly difficult the more she accidentally stepped on his shoes with her sharp heels. Rocky, meanwhile, was still outside the dance floor, talking with Ty, Tinka, and surprisingly, Kasia, who was the only member of the royal family willing to speak with Tinka after the revelation.

"Your parents must be furious at the revelation," Rocky told Tinka, a look of concern on her face. "How're you holding up?"

"Better than I thought," Tinka admitted. "It's hard to bring myself to look at them, though, for I fear they hate me."

"They don't hate you, baby," Ty reassured her. "You're their daughter; sometimes they don't like you, but they're always gonna love you."

"Why did you not tell your parents about your relationship with Ty in the first place?" Kasia asked, curiously.

Tinka fingered the tiny umbrella in her mango smoothie and said, "They don't like him. The minute they found out I was friends with him, they became outraged, but that didn't stop me from being around Ty."

"Well, I can certainly understand that," Kasia said, "but I must ask, though, despite your long-term relationship with Ty, do you have any feelings for my brother?"

"No, I don't," Tinka said, honestly. "Currently, I view him as merely an acquaintance, especially since we don't know each other well."

"You surprise me, Kasia," Rocky said. "You seem to be the only member of your family who's still accepting of Tinka, despite the revelation of her and Ty's secret relationship."

"Oh, I would never hold a grudge against Tinka because of such a revelation," Kasia explained, her eyes on the girl in question. "I believe that Tinka has the right to choose the man she wants to be with and, if you want my opinion, I do not think it is fair that she has become the victim of an arranged marriage."

Tinka's eyes widened in surprise and said, "You don't want the marriage to take place?"

Kasia shook her head and said, "I love my brother dearly, but he should not marry someone who does not love him in return. I wish he could see that."

Just then, Günther and CeCe joined the group, ending any further conversation about Tinka's arranged marriage to Anton and Tinka's love for Ty.

Kasia smiled when she felt Günther's gaze on her. She found him to be quite attractive and well-mannered, but knew it was more of a physical attraction than an emotional one. She also knew he was dating CeCe and knew it would be inappropriate to interfere with their relationship. Kasia was never, and would never be, a selfish person. CeCe was Tinka's friend and any friend of Tinka's was a friend of hers; therefore, she would never jeopardize that friendship.

"Princess Kasia," Günther said, charmingly, as he extended his hand out to her, "Will you honour me with a dance?"

Kasia blushed, figured one dance would not hurt, and said, "Of course."

Another waltz song began to play as Günther led Kasia onto the dance floor. He gently held her right hand in his left, and rested his right hand on her back. Her left hand softly held onto a part of his upper right arm, her pinky finger sticking out. Together, the two moved to the slow rhythm of the song.

"Better watch out, CeCe," Rocky said, playfully. "Kasia might steal your man."

CeCe laughed and said, "She won't. Besides, Günther is crazy about me; he'll never leave me for another girl, even if that girl's a princess."

"Yeah, CeCe has nothing to worry about," Tinka said in a reassuring tone. "She's the only girl for Günther. Günther is just being a gentleman to Kasia, that's all."

At that moment, Tinka felt Ty's arm around her waist tighten a bit. She knew that his grip on her tightened whenever he became possessive, and he only became possessive whenever he saw another guy express his desire for her.

Tinka turned her head to the side and sighed when she realized that her theory was correct. "May I help you, _Prince_ Anton?"

Anton winced when Tinka spit out the word Prince as though it was poison. He was not oblivious to her hatred for him, but wished to give her no reason to hate him, even though Ty was glaring murderously at him. The prince obviously threw the ball for a reason and he was not going to let Ty's relationship with Tinka stop him from putting the next phase of his plan into action.

"I wish to talk about what happened earlier tonight," Anton explained, calmly. "My father nearly had a heart attack. My mother was in shock, although her shock is nothing compared to that of your parents."

"Please, I don't want to talk about that now," Tinka told him, coldly. "Tonight is a wonderful night and I wish to spend it with my boyfriend and friends."

"Tinka, you have no reason to hate me," Anton said.

"I don't?" Tinka scoffed with a laugh. "You showed up at my doorstep without giving me prior notice, you believed that I would agree to the arranged marriage even though I had just met you, and you refused numerous times to accept my rejection to the marriage. So, yes, Prince Anton, I have every reason to hate you!"

Anton was taken aback by Tinka's outburst. Even Ty was startled when she exploded into a long explanation about her reasons to hate Anton. The outburst, in fact, was drawing some unwanted attention from the other guests around them. It was bad enough that Kashlack and Squizza were ready to murder him, and the last thing Ty needed was more unnecessary drama.

Rocky and CeCe, who were watching the heated interaction between Anton and Tinka, jumped slightly when Tinka started making a scene. Kasia, the entire time, was staring at her brother in complete disbelief, believing that his behaviour was more distasteful than Tinka's. He was obviously very persistent and did not respect a girl's opinion on important matters, including marriage.

"Tinka," Ty whispered, leaning towards her ear, "do you want to be here right now?"

Tinka sighed and said, "No."

"Then, let's get out of here," Ty suggested as quietly as he could.

"Where are we going to go?" Tinka asked with a low voice.

"You need time to cool down and your parents need time to calm themselves and not kill me for dating you," Ty explained, "so we'll take a cab to your apartment. Quickly grab some things, and then you can spend the night at my place."

Tinka smiled at Ty's generous offer and said, "That's very nice of you, but I don't wish to intrude."

"Baby, my parents love you," Ty whispered, reassuringly. "They would be more than happy to have you over."

Anton, who was wondering what the couple was quietly discussing, asked, "What are you two talking about?"

"Excuse us, Prince Anton," Ty said, demandingly. "Clearly, you're upsetting my girl, so we're going to leave now."

"Not yet, Ty," Tinka said, gazing up at him. "Can we dance just one more time?"

Ty smirked, knowing that Tinka wished to rub their relationship in the prince's face, and said, "Of course." He released his hold on Tinka, took a step back, and extended his hand out to her. "Shall we?"

"We shall," Tinka answered with a giggle, as she gave CeCe her mango smoothie to hold.

Rocky was about to ask Ty what he and Tinka were talking about earlier, but Ty made a gesture with his free hand that told her they would call her once they left the ball. After interpreting the gesture correctly, Rocky nodded with a smile.

Without saying a single word, Ty led Tinka away from their group of friends. Once they were on the dance floor, Ty and Tinka imitated the appropriate waltz stances, just like Günther and Kasia did, and joined the other couples waltzing around them.

Back at the table, Logan, who was watching Ty and Tinka from afar, smiled and said, "Well, Ty is quite the gentleman!"

"Yeah, who knew the rapper could waltz?" Deuce commented, looking surprised.

"He must have learned for Tinka," Dina said with a loud sigh, so the occupants of the table next to them could hear her. "What a romantic gesture!" She turned to Deuce with a frown. "How come you never do something romantic for me?"

Kashlack, Squizza, Kamil, and Anna turned their attention to Ty and Tinka on the dance floor, ignoring the bickering that began between Deuce and Dina. Although Kashlack and Squizza silently admitted to themselves that Ty was a good dancer and that Tinka seemed happy dancing with him, they still did not approve of him. In fact, they were a bit disgusted that Ty dared to put his hands on their precious daughter.

Anton, meanwhile, fingered a small box in the pocket of his royal robes, as he sadly watched his potential fiancée and her boyfriend continue to dance a flawless waltz. He knew he lost the battle that night for Tinka's heart, but he believed that if he did not give up, he could end up winning the war in the end.

Chapter 7 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

**For fanfiction updates and more, follow me on Twitter: TeenQueen661**

~TeenQueen661


	8. Explaining the Reasons

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 8! =D

Chapter 8: Explaining the Reasons

Once the sun had risen Sunday morning, Kashlack seated himself in the loveseat in the living room of his apartment, shooting death glares at the front door. Both he and Squizza, who was standing next to him, were wearing leopard-patterned night robes over their pyjamas. Neither of them got much sleep the previous night because they were angered by Tinka's relationship with Ty, and were ready to confront her about it once she returned home.

Günther, who was standing in the entrance to the hallway, was nervously fiddling with the hem of his sparkly T-Shirt (he had already changed out of his pyjamas). When he learned through a text message that Tinka was returning home with Ty to confess everything, he feared for their lives more than ever. He did not know who his parents would kill first: Tinka for hiding the relationship or Ty for dating her.

The sound of a key jiggling in the front door caused three pairs of eyes to dart towards it. The doorknob turned and the door slowly creaked open.

Tinka slowly appeared from behind the door and the first things she came face to face with were the stern looks of her parents. At first, she knew how to calmly start a conversation with them about the ball, but once she saw the death glare on her father's face, she suddenly lost her train of thought.

"Welcome home, daughter," Squizza said, monotonously.

Tinka gulped. The situation was obviously serious because she was not even addressed by her name and the blonde feared that her parents hated her for what she did.

"Come inside," Kashlack said, his tone icy.

Tinka nodded and closed her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. She squeezed Ty's hand, which he squeezed in return in an attempt to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Kashlack and Squizza watched their daughter push open the door to the apartment and learned that she was not alone, she was with Ty. Their eyes narrowed at the boyish rapper in skin-tight clothing and silently questioned as to why their innocent daughter would date someone who, in their eyes, was unworthy of her attention.

While Tinka closed the door, Ty courageously brought his eyes up to look at her parents directly. Although he was scared about being in their presence, he refused to show it. In fact, he wanted to show her parents that he loved Tinka so much that he was willing to face anything, even their wrath, so he could keep dating her.

Tinka, although she knew what their questions would be, asked her parents, "We're here now. What would you like to know?"

"Everything," Kashlack stated as though it was obvious.

"First question," Squizza began, as calmly as she could. "How long have you two been in a romantic relationship with each other?"

"That question was answered last night," Tinka answered. "Two years. Our first date was when I was thirteen and Ty was fourteen, but we didn't officially become a couple until two years later."

"And why is that?" Kashlack asked, curiously, directing the question to Ty.

Ty took and let out a deep breath before he answered, "We were different in personality, so we were not sure if we would be a good match."

"It took us a while to realize that we compliment each other," Tinka added. "Although we are opposites, there was an attraction between us. There still is."

"Why hide the relationship?" Squizza asked, sounding like a detective in the middle of a police interrogation.

"Because both of you have made it perfectly clear that you do not like Ty," Tinka explained with a frown. "You wanted him out of my life the minute he first walked into it. You assumed he was trouble; you didn't even try to get to know him first." She then turned to smile at Ty and added, "But I'm glad I did."

Kashlack sighed and said, "You know we are not fond of you keeping secrets from us, Tinkabell."

"I know," Tinka said, looking back at her parents, "but what else could I do? I have tried to talk to you both about Ty numerous times, but you refused to listen to me. No matter how many times I've commented on what a nice guy Ty is, what a respectful and caring guy he is, you dismissed my comments as though they were lies. I am your daughter; I thought you trusted me. When I felt like you didn't trust me, I felt like there was no point in telling you about our relationship."

"Was anyone aware of your relationship?" Kashlack asked, raising an eyebrow at the couple.

"Our friends who went to the ball with us, their parents, and anyone who has seen us at school," Ty explained.

Squizza whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes at Günther. "You knew about all this and you didn't tell us?"

"My apologies, Mama, but Tinka's relationship with Ty is none of my business," Günther explained, firmly. "Whatever they decide to do, I fully support. When they decided to keep their relationship a secret, I respected that decision. When they decided to reveal it, I supported them. I would never sink to such a low level by betraying my sister and her boyfriend."

"Considering the recent circumstances, we knew the relationship couldn't be hidden any longer," Tinka explained, as calmly as she could. "We knew you had to be told."

"So when you finally decided to tell us, your idea of doing so was to show up at the ball with your boyfriend as your date?" Squizza questioned, angrily. "You made quite an embarrassment of your father and I. Do you have any idea what kind of impression you made on the royal family when you arrived? There they were, ready to accept you as a suitable bride for their son, and you show up with that juvenile delinquent on your arm..."

"Don't you dare talk about Ty like that!" Tinka cried, defensively. "You're making inaccurate judgments again!"

"Well, if you compare him to Prince Anton, I believe my description of him was fairly accurate," Squizza stated, snootily.

"I will not let you stand there and insult the man I love!" Tinka snapped, squeezing Ty's hand in reassurance. "We have made it perfectly clear last night that I am not interested in Anton. I knew he was going to propose to me, so that is why Ty and I decided that it was time for us to reveal our relationship to the world. I am happy with Ty; he makes me happier than Anton ever will. Whether you like it or not, Ty is going to be in my life for a very long time and I sincerely hope you both will be able to give him a chance."

"Only if you give Prince Anton a chance," Squizza said, in a final sort of tone.

"That's not fair, Mama!" Tinka cried, losing her well-mannered composure.

"Well, it's not fair that you have been mistreating Prince Anton simply because you dislike him," Squizza explained, sternly. "He is a very nice, young man, who believes you will make an excellent bride for him and a wonderful princess of the old country, even though you are against it all. All I ask is that you go out with him once and try to get to know him better."

Tinka sighed. If going on one date with Anton would get her mother to stop encouraging her to get to know Anton better, she would reluctantly agree to it.

Ty was about to tell Squizza that he was against Tinka going out with Anton, but Tinka's hand on his chest stopped him from doing so.

"I will agree to a dinner date with Anton on one condition," Tinka said.

"And what would that be?" Squizza asked, curiously.

"I will let Anton take me out on a formal date, during which I will be open minded and I will get to know him better," Tinka explained, not missing the flabbergasted look on Ty's face. "However, if at the end of the date that it is proven that we're not a compatible match as previous believed, my arrangement of my marriage to him will be voided and I'll continue to date Ty, whom you both will have to try and get to know better as well."

Squizza took one look at Kashlack, and then said to Tinka, "I'm reluctant to accept this, but since you are being very fair, Tinka, I will agree to your condition."

"Thank you," Tinka said, gratefully.

"I will call the royal family at their hotel and make the arrangements," Squizza told her. "Anton will pick you up for dinner tonight at seven."

Günther noticed Ty's shocked face and feared that the rapper would say something to Kashlack and Squizza that he would regret later. As Günther pulled out his cell phone from inside his pants pocket, he decided it would be best to get both Ty and Tinka out of the apartment to discuss the matter privately.

Tinka raised an eyebrow when she felt her cell phone vibrate from inside the pocket of her sparkly skirt. She pulled it out and noticed Günther had sent her a text with instructions on what to do next.

"Is there something wrong, Tinkabell?" Kashlack asked, noticing Tinka was occupied with her phone.

"No, Papa, I just received a message from CeCe," Tinka lied, smoothly. She turned to Ty and gave him a meaningful look, silently telling him to play along. "She wants to meet up with us for breakfast."

"That sounds like a great idea," Ty commented, noting the look on his girlfriend's face. "Let's not keep her waiting."

"Care to join us, dear brother?" Tinka asked Günther, knowing full well what his answer would be.

"I would be delighted to, sister twin," Günther answered, casually. He gestured towards the front door and said, "Shall we?"

Kashlack and Squizza did not object and bid the three teenagers goodbye. As they left, Kashlack sent one last death glare to Ty, causing the rapper to gulp nervously.

* * *

After they exited the apartment building, Günther praised Ty and Tinka on their amazing acting skills, praise that was equally returned by the couple. The act they had put on for Kashlack and Squizza gave them the idea to return to Ty's apartment building, where they would ask CeCe, Rocky, and Logan to accompany them to a local diner for breakfast.

As they walked, Ty asked Tinka, "Why did you agree to let Anton take you out to dinner?"

"I only agreed, so my mother would stop badgering me about giving Anton a chance to prove himself a worthy match for me," Tinka explained. "You heard what I told my parents: if, by the end of the date, Anton and I don't seem to make a suitable couple, the arranged marriage will be off. Trust me, Ty, Anton is nothing compared to you, and it will always be that way."

Ty nodded, feeling some sense of relief, but said, "I just don't like you going out with him alone. I know he's a prince and everything, but he's still a hormonal teenage guy. If he goes as far as kissing you goodnight, let alone holding your hand, so help me I will…"

"Relax, Ty," Günther reassured the rapper. "Anton is a gentleman; I highly doubt he would do anything that would make Tinka uncomfortable."

"Still," Ty said, "I would feel better if someone were there to watch over my girl while she is out with Anton. I would go, but if Anton caught me spying on him and Tinka during their date, he would definitely tell your parents, and the last thing I want is your parents hating me more than they already do."

"I could go with CeCe," Günther suggested. "We could secretly follow Anton and Tinka on their dinner date, but if Anton catches us, Anton won't hesitate to lie to our parents by telling them I wanted to sabotage his arranged marriage with Tinka by ruining their date."

"You both make good points," Tinka said. "Listen, Anton will most likely show off his wealth by taking me to a luxurious and elegant restaurant, a restaurant often frequented by couples in romantic relationships. We need to have a couple spying on our date, so they can blend in perfectly with the surroundings of the restaurant."

"Like I said, it can't be CeCe and I," Günther reminded Ty and Tinka. "It has to be a couple whom Anton would not suspect would follow him and Tinka, a couple who, if caught by Anton, can easily fool him into thinking their identical choice of restaurant for the evening was a pure coincidence."

"How about Rocky and Logan?" Tinka suggested. "Or Deuce and Dina?"

"As much as I don't like Logan," Ty said, clenching his fists at the mere thought of the guy, "I would feel much better knowing four sets of eyes, instead of two, were watching you and Anton."

"This just might work," Günther explained to Tinka. "Look, being the gentleman, Anton will most likely ask you where you would want to have dinner. We can talk to Deuce and ask if one of his cousins works as a chef at one of Chicago's finest restaurants. That way, Deuce, Dina, Rocky, and Logan won't have to worry about paying for the expensive dinner they'll be eating while spying on you and Anton."

Tinka was silent as she processed the entire plan in her mind. It seemed like a good plan. If she could get at least one of the two couples, hopefully both, to follow her on her date with Anton, she would feel safer. It would be very reassuring to both Ty and Günther as well to know she would be in good hands.

"When we ask Rocky and Logan to join us for breakfast, we can also ask if they would be willing to follow you on your date with Anton," Günther said. "I'll call Deuce and Dina later and ask them the same thing, minus the breakfast invitation."

Tinka nodded; however, before she could thank Günther for coming up with a majority of the plan, Ty's voice rang out from next to her.

"Raquel Oprah Blue, what the hell are you doing!?" the rapper yelled.

Tinka had been too busy listening to Günther outline the details of the espionage plan to realize they had arrived at Ty's apartment building. Turning her attention away from Günther, she noticed Rocky sitting on one side of the flight of steps, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Directly across from her, with his hands in the air as though he was surrendering, was Logan.

"Ty!" Rocky cried in surprise. "When did you get here? Where were you this morning?"

"Oh, no, _I'm_ asking the questions around here," Ty said, sternly, the responsibility of being an older brother falling heavily on his shoulders. He threw Logan a death glare and asked, "What were your lips doing on my sister's just a few seconds ago?"

"Uh, she's my girlfriend," Logan said, his hands still up. "I think I can kiss her if I want to."

"Girlfriend!?" Ty roared, his eyes widening significantly. "When did this happen?"

"Last night after you and Tinka left," Rocky answered, trying to calm Ty down. "We danced together a few times, we talked a lot, feelings were revealed, we kissed..."

"I can't believe you, Rocky!" Ty interrupted, outraged at what had happened between his little sister and the guy he despised as much as Anton. He turned to glare at Logan. "Logan, I warned you what would happen if you did anything with Rocky! Oh, I swear on my grandpa's grave that I will..."

"Not now, Ty, we have more important things to discuss," Tinka urged. She turned to Rocky and said, "Go upstairs and get CeCe."

"Why?" Rocky asked, confused.

"We want you three to join us for breakfast at a nearby diner," Tinka explained. "When we get there, Ty and I have to ask you and Logan for a favour."

"What kind of favour?" Logan asked, curiously.

"When we get to the diner, we'll explain everything," Tinka promised.

Rocky nodded and stood up. "I'll get CeCe."

"I'll go with you!" Logan piped up as he stood up as well.

"Why, it only takes one person to get CeCe," Rocky pointed out.

"I know," Logan replied. He lowered the volume of his voice and whispered, "But Ty is pissed off at me and I can't guarantee I'll still be alive by the time you come back downstairs with CeCe."

Rocky giggled, took his hand, and pulled Logan up the steps and into the building with her, ignoring Ty's murderous glares along the way.

Chapter 8 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

**For fanfiction updates and more, follow me on Twitter: TeenQueen661**

~TeenQueen661


	9. Dining with Anton

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 9! =D

Chapter 9: Dining with Anton

Tinka smoothed out the ruffles of her sparkly, navy blue, cocktail dress as she nervously paced back and forth in the living room of the apartment, waiting for Anton to pick her up for their dinner date. She was not looking forward to the evening's events that were to come, but she knew it would be easier for her to get out of the arranged marriage if she went on the date, and then told her parents afterwards that it was a disaster.

Günther, who was sitting in the loveseat nearby, noticed how tense Tinka was and said, "Relax, dear sister, everything will be fine. Rocky, Logan, Deuce, and Dina have already agreed to spy on your date with Anton. I assure you, you'll be very safe."

"I know, twin brother," Tinka replied, "it's just that spending a few hours with the little goat butt called a prince is not my ideal way of spending a Sunday night."

"There is no need for that kind of language," Günther scolded. "You must behave tonight. Anton must believe you willingly agreed to spend tonight at dinner with him."

Tinka nodded just as the doorbell rang.

"Oh, the prince has arrived!" Squizza exclaimed, running out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Kashlack also exited the kitchen and followed his wife to the front door. He smiled when Squizza opened the door and found Anton standing outside it. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and matching shoes (he did not want to draw attention to himself in the restaurant by wearing his royal robes) and carried a bouquet of red roses, similar to the ones he attempted to give Tinka the day after he first met her.

"Good evening, Prince Anton," Squizza greeted, accordingly.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Hessenheffer," Anton responded, politely. "Is Tinka ready?"

"She sure is," Squizza said. She turned around to face her daughter. "Tinka, Prince Anton is here."

Tinka took one last look at Günther before she took a deep breath and let it out. As casually as she could, she walked towards the door. Her parents had stepped aside, so she could be in full view for Anton.

"Tinka, you look wonderful," Anton commented, charmingly.

Tinka successfully refrained from punching Anton in the nose and replied, "As do you."

"These are for you," Anton said, handing her the roses.

"You shouldn't have," Tinka said, playfully, although she literally meant what she said.

"I'll take those for you, my dear," Squizza said, gently, as Anton handed her the roses. "Now both of you go out and have a good time."

Kashlack smiled as him and Squizza bid Anton and Tinka goodbye. They were so absorbed in watching their daughter leave with the prince that they did not notice that Günther had stood up, crept quietly towards the open window, and signaled to Deuce down below.

Deuce, whose head was sticking out of the sunroof of his cousin's limousine, nodded at Günther, and then ducked back into the limousine. He nodded again at Dina, Rocky, and Logan, before knocking on the limousine's privacy glass.

By the time Anton and Tinka had made it downstairs to Anton's limousine, the limousine carrying Tinka's friends had already driven off.

* * *

"So, what made you want to come here?" Anton asked Tinka as they were led to their table by the hostess, who was Deuce's cousin, Maria.

"Oh, I've heard great things about the food here," Tinka lied. "I just never had time to stop by here and try some."

Anton nodded as he glanced at the surroundings around him. The tablecloth-covered tables, fine china, and crystal chandeliers clearly indicated that people of extreme wealth could afford to come to the restaurant. The prince did not care; he was willing to spend every last coin in his possession to please Tinka.

Maria was obviously aware of the plan beforehand because she seated Anton and Tinka at a table where they could easily be seen by Rocky, Logan, Deuce, and Dina from their table, which was half-hidden by a plant. She handed Anton and Tinka menus, told them their waitress would be with them shortly, and returned to her station behind the podium.

"Are you interested in having an appetizer?" Anton asked, picking up a menu.

"Sounds good," Tinka answered, already reading her menu. "I would like either mozzarella sticks or garlic bread sticks. You can decide."

"And what kind of drink would you like?" Anton asked.

"Surprise me," Tinka answered, simply.

Anton nodded and continued reading his menu, giving Tinka an opportunity to look around for Rocky, Logan, Deuce, and Dina. She managed to make eye contact with Rocky and nodded in her direction.

* * *

"This leafy plant doesn't hide us completely," Deuce pointed out to his table's occupants. "Are you sure Anton won't see us over here?"

"That's not likely to happen," Dina reassured him, "and even if he does, it'll be easy to fool him into thinking we're here on a double date."

"All we have to do is keep an eye on them without drawing too much attention to ourselves," Rocky reminded the group as she reached for her glass of water.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to order," Deuce said, putting down his menu. "Logan, could you get the waiter?"

Logan, without thinking, quickly raised his hand and called to a waiter nearby, "Excuse me, we're ready to order!"

The waiter quickly darted over to their table with a notepad and pen in his hands. As he proceeded to write down Deuce and Dina's orders, Rocky turned to give Logan a stern look.

"What did I say about not drawing attention to ourselves?" she questioned.

"Zam, sorry," Logan said, quietly.

Rocky quickly glanced over at Anton and Tinka's table and breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that Anton was too busy attempting to have a lengthy conversation with Tinka to hear Logan's outburst.

* * *

Tinka looked bored as she nibbled on the bread sticks that were brought out. She would listen to Anton talk about his life back in the old country, and how he, as the heir to the throne, had a lot of responsibilities and very little freedom. Even now and then, she would make a small comment, but no more than that.

It was not until the main entrees were brought out that Tinka actually found something in common with Anton to have a conversation about.

"You know, prior to the ball, I had no idea you knew how to ballroom dance," Anton said, as their waitress placed his meal in front of him: roast beef with mixed vegetables and a baked potato. "Have long have you been ballroom dancing?"

"I've been ballroom dancing since I was a little girl back in the old country," Tinka answered, cutting her roasted chicken with a fork and knife. "Whenever I'm not busy with _Shake It Up: Chicago_, I take classes."

"I started when I was very young as well," Anton said. "Members of nobility, including Kasia and myself, are expected to learn how to ballroom dance. We attend many formal events that feature ballroom dancing, so it is best that we know how to."

"Do you enjoy it?" Tinka asked. She was actually curious to know Anton's perspective on dance.

"Very," Anton said with a nod of his head. "And you?"

"Yes," Tinka said, affirmatively. "I love many varieties of dance."

"You are very good with the waltz," Anton commented, alluding to the night of the ball. "Is it your favourite International Standard dance?"

"It's a nice dance," Tinka began, after swallowing the chewed-up chicken in her mouth, "but I prefer the Viennese waltz because it can be used to tell passionate love stories."

"I see," Anton said, understandingly. "I am a fan of the quickstep; it is very fast and energetic."

"What about International Latin dances?" Tinka asked, her boredom slowly fading away.

"I like the rumba," Anton answered, and then took a bite of a piece of broccoli. Once he swallowed, he added, "It is a very slow dance, which allows me to focus on technique."

"Yes, technique is very important," Tinka agreed. "I like to dance the Paso Doble; it's a very tough and aggressive dance."

"I completely agree," Anton said. "It's one of the more challenging Latin dances to learn. Do you find it difficult to dance?"

Tinka shook her head and said, "Only if you have a lousy partner."

Anton laughed and said, "Yes, a lousy partner would only add to the difficulty. I believe it is important for men, for a majority of ballroom dances, to be in control. He has to be the strong frame."

"And the woman," Tinka continued, "is the pretty picture."

"Exactly," Anton said, and smiled kindly. "Sometimes, dancers forget how important that is."

"I couldn't agree more," Tinka said, smiling genuinely at Anton for the first time since his arrival in Chicago.

* * *

"Okay, either this vegetarian lasagna that I'm eating obscured my vision, or Tinka is actually smiling at Anton," Rocky said, putting her fork down over her plate.

"Relax, Rocky," Logan said, reassuringly. "It doesn't hurt that they're getting along. It's not like Tinka is going to leave Ty for Anton."

"Yeah, all Günther and Ty said was to make sure Anton doesn't hurt Tinka or make her uncomfortable," Deuce reminded Rocky. "Tinka seems fine, so don't worry."

"Deucey's right," Dina agreed. "We'll continue to watch them until the end of the date, as we promised Günther and Ty, but it looks like we won't have to fake an emergency to get Tinka out of here."

Rocky nodded. Although she knew her friends were right, she was still concerned about Tinka. Tinka was not only her friend, but also her brother's girlfriend, and the brunette had every right to be protective. She promised Ty that nothing bad would happen to Tinka under her watch, and she was determined to keep that promise.

"Look, Anton and Tinka seem to be on good terms right now, so let's take this time to finish dinner," Dina suggested, poking a carrot with her fork. "We can check on them again when we order dessert."

Deuce and Logan nodded in agreement and returned to the task of devouring their chicken wings. Rocky took one last glance at Anton and Tinka, and then went back to eating her lasagna.

* * *

To Tinka's surprise, the topic of ballroom dancing managed to take her and Anton all the way through dinner. As the food slowly disappeared from their plates and down their throats, they talked about the different types of ballroom dances, previous ballroom competitions they have entered, and how ballroom dancing shaped their personalities and their values in life.

By the time their desserts were brought to their table, Anton and Tinka were in a deep conversation about family.

"I know you are the oldest sibling and the heir to the throne of the old country," Tinka said. "Do you ever wish you weren't?"

"Sometimes," Anton admitted. He scooped a bit of chocolate ice cream into his mouth and allowed it to melt before he continued. "Like I said before, I have a lot of responsibilities and there is so much pressure on me to do well in life, in order to prove I am worthy of becoming a fine king one day. Despite all that, I would not change anything. I accept who I am and the roles life has given me."

"That's good to hear," Tinka said, plucking the cherry off the top of her fudge sundae. "I, of course, don't know what it's like to have an older sibling, nor know what it's like to be one, because I'm a twin."

"Günther seems like a good man," Anton commented. "Do you two get along?"

"Yes, quite often," Tinka answered. "Sometimes we fight, all siblings do, but we love each other."

"And your parents?" Anton asked. "Are you close with them?"

Tinka paused for a second and took another bite of her sundae. She used the opportunity to think about her response. She was not comfortable about telling Anton about how they were pressuring her into marrying him, nor did she want to tell him about how unreasonable they were being. Despite their hatred for Ty, she knew her parents were good people, and so she decided to tell Anton about their good qualities.

"I couldn't ask for better parents," Tinka answered. "They are very loving when it comes to Günther and me, so we never craved for love or attention from them. They want the best for us and are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we have a good life. They moved us here to Chicago from the old country to have a better life, and words cannot describe how grateful Günther and I are to them for doing that because we know it wasn't an easy thing to do."

"It is times like those that show how important family is," Anton said.

"Yes, family is very important to me," Tinka agreed. "I hope to have my own someday."

"As do I," Anton said. "Any man would be lucky to have you as his wife, Tinka."

"Thank you," Tinka said, before slipping her spoon back into her sundae.

"In fact," Anton said, putting down his spoon, "I am hoping I can be that lucky man."

Tinka had just put more of her sundae in her mouth when she heard what Anton said. The sundae nearly went down the wrong pipe, causing the blonde to cough repeatedly into one of the linen napkins on the table.

"Tinka, are you okay?" Anton asked, concerned.

After her coughing ceased, Tinka put down her napkin and said, "No, _Prince_ Anton, I'm not."

"Tinka, there's no need to call me by my royal title, you know that," Anton reminded her, gently.

"I can call you whatever I want," Tinka said, her hostile attitude clearly noticeable. "Listen, I want to make it very clear to you that I only agreed to go out to dinner with you tonight to please my parents. They wanted me to get to know you better before I could decide whether or not to marry you. Well, I did as I was told, and nothing has changed. Forgive me, _Prince _Anton, when I say, and I hope this is the last time I have it say it: I refuse to marry you."

"Tinka, listen to me, I would never do anything to hurt you," Anton said, flinching at the death glare she gave him. "What can I do to prove that I truly care about you? What can I do to make you happy? What do you want?"

"One thing and one thing only," Tinka said, grabbing her purse and standing up. "I want to go home. Now."

* * *

"Zam it, Rocky!" Logan cursed, wiping whip cream off of his face. "I'm trying to enjoy dessert here."

"Forget dessert!" Rocky hissed, ignoring the fact she accidentally nudged Logan too hard while his spoonful of dessert was just inches away from his mouth. "Tinka just got up and she doesn't look so happy."

Logan, Deuce, and Dina looked to where Rocky was pointing and saw Tinka glaring at Anton as he requested the check from their waitress. The blonde had one hand on her hip, while the other clenched the strap of her purse, prepared to use it as a destructive weapon if Anton did not hurry up and take her home.

"Should we intervene?" Rocky asked, concerned.

"We should," Dina said, "but what about the check?"

"Don't worry, it's on my cousin, Maria," Deuce reassured the group. "Let's go."

Simultaneously, the four teenagers stood up and started walking briskly to Anton and Tinka's table.

* * *

While Anton waited for the waitress to return with the check, he watched Tinka, who continued to glare at him as though she wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole. He was so worried about her that he did not notice her friends approaching them from their table.

"Tinka?" Rocky said, pretending to be surprised.

Tinka's frown curved into a smile when she saw that Rocky, Logan, Deuce, and Dina had come to her rescue. "Oh, my, what a surprise to see you four here tonight!"

"Double date night," Dina explained, casually. "Deucey's cousin works here, so dinner was on her. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was having dinner with _Prince_ Anton, so I could get to know him better to please my parents," Tinka answered, the word 'prince' completely dripping with hatred, much to the displeasure of Anton.

"Oh, how did it go?" Rocky asked, faking interest in the subject.

"It was quite enjoyable up to a certain point," Tinka said, throwing another lethal glare towards Anton. "I have no desire for this date to continue."

"Want us to drop you off at your place?" Deuce asked, giving Tinka an opportunity to leave with them. "It's just on the way back to our places."

"That would be great, thank you," Tinka said, gratefully. She turned to give Anton a stern look and said to him, "Thank you for dinner, _Prince_ Anton, goodnight."

Before Anton could protest, Rocky and Dina had each wrapped an arm around one of Tinka's and led her towards the door, pretending to chat amicably with her. Deuce and Logan nodded at Anton, before following the girls from behind.

And that was the end of Tinka's first, and hopefully last, date with Prince Anton Byalikov.

Chapter 9 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	10. Getting an Idea

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 10! =D

Chapter 10: Getting an Idea

When Tinka woke up Monday morning, she had a look of pure disdain written all over her face, and that look remained as she exited her bedroom and made her way to the kitchen to make breakfast. It was clear that the blonde was still irritated by what happened on her date with Anton; however, she was thankful that her friends were present, so she did not have to go home with Anton.

While Tinka fried bacon and toasted some bread, the events of the previous night continue to replay in her mind. She could not believe Anton thought finding a few common interests with her would encourage her to marry him. She could not wait to tell her parents about it, and she hoped last night was the last time she would ever have to see Anton again.

Tinka was just checking on the waffles in the waffle iron when Günther walked into the kitchen, still clad in his sparkly pyjamas. He yawned and raised his arms into the air to stretch.

"Good morning, sister twin," Günther said, cheerfully.

"Good morning, dear brother," Tinka replied, cracking a small smile. "Would you like some waffles?"

"That would be fabulous, thank you," Günther said, gratefully. "A side of bacon and eggs would be great as well."

"Coming right up!" Tinka chirped, her mood brightening because of her brother.

"Mama and Papa will be down shortly," Günther told her, reaching for a napkin in a nearby dispenser.

"Fantastic," Tinka muttered through gritted teeth, her mood darkening instantly, and continued with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "There isn't a better time to tell them about the lousy date with Anton than during breakfast over bacon, eggs, waffles, and toast."

"The date was that horrible?" Günther asked, sounding a bit surprised. He wondered what Anton, the charming prince with good manners, could have possibly done to infuriate Tinka during dinner the previous night.

"Horrible?" Tinka scoffed with a fake laugh. "Günther, if Rocky, Deuce, Dina, and Logan weren't there to take me home last night, I would have likely killed Anton during the limousine ride home!"

"What happened?" Günther questioned, curiously. "What did he do?"

"Yes, Tinkabell," a familiar voice said from the doorway. "What did Prince Anton do?"

Günther and Tinka turned their attention to the kitchen doorway to find their parents standing in it, both clad in matching, leopard-print pyjamas. Having overheard part of their children's conversation as they approached the kitchen for breakfast, both Kashlack and Squizza were really anxious to find out how Tinka's date with Anton went, especially after overhearing Tinka claim it was a disaster.

"Oh, Tinka, Prince Anton did not hurt you, did he?" Squizza asked, as she and Kashlack seated themselves at the kitchen table. She believed Anton would never intend to hurt Tinka, but felt the need to ask, just to be sure.

"No, but thank you for expressing your concern," Tinka replied, sarcastically.

"Darling, you were not hostile towards Prince Anton, were you?" Squizza asked. "Your father and I reminded you many times to be on your best behaviour last night."

"Believe me, for most of the night, I was nothing but tasteful and polite," Tinka explained, catching the toast that launched out of the toaster on plates. "It was during dessert when I had a big shift in mood."

"Was Anton the cause of this shift?" Günther asked.

"Obviously," Tinka answered with a roll of her eyes. "During dinner, he realized he and I both share the love of ballroom dancing and the desire to have families of our own one day. He believed our very few common interests made him a suitable man to be my husband. If I did not object, I bet you he would have proposed right then and there."

"Well, personally, I don't see the problem, Tinka," Kashlack said, sounding a bit confused. "You both have common interests, so why not accept him as your fiancé and future husband?"

"Because I'm not attracted to him," Tinka answered, roughly shoving the plate of toast onto the table. "We may have a few things in common, but things haven't changed. In fact, I'm less attracted to Anton than I was when I first met him and, considering what little attraction there was between him and I back then, that's saying something."

"My dear, need I remind you that you're still seventeen," Squizza said. "You're still young and naïve. You don't know what is best for you, your father and I do."

"But I'm not blind," Tinka told her parents in a firm voice. "I can see with my own two eyes that Anton and I, despite the few common interests, are not a compatible match. He may be attracted to me for reasons I will never understand, but I assure you, the feeling is not mutual."

"Contrary to what you said, your mother and I believe you and Anton are a good match," Kashlack said, ignoring the flabbergasted look on his daughter's face. "That being said, the arranged marriage agreement will remain intact."

"Forgive me, but have you not heard what Tinka just said?" Günther asked his parents in disbelief. "She just said she doesn't believe her and Anton are compatible. As I recall, that means her arranged marriage to him should be voided."

"Well, if you recall correctly, my son," Kashlack began, "Tinka's arranged marriage to Prince Anton would only be voided if it is proven that they aren't a good match. Your sister may think they're not compatible, but your mother and I believe they are; therefore, nothing changes."

Günther met eye contact with Tinka and they both sighed simultaneously. Both of them knew their parents were right about the condition they agreed to before Tinka agreed to a date with Anton. The condition did not indicate a specific person or people the compatible match had to be proven to.

"You can't be serious!" Tinka cried, furiously. She could not believe her parents disregarded her opinion about Anton as unimportant. It was obvious they never took her seriously about getting out of the arranged marriage in the first place and treated her like a child. She had never felt so angry at her parents in her entire life; her anger towards Anton could barely compare.

"We are absolutely serious," Squizza said, firmly. "Tinka, you have a week to end your romantic relationship with Ty. At the end of the week, we will have dinner with the royal family, during which Anton will propose to you, and we expect you to accept it."

Tinka frowned and folded her arms in front of her. "And what if I don't?"

"If you refuse his marriage proposal, you will dishonour your mother and me, and bring shame to the Hessenheffer family," Kashlack told her, sternly, "and for that, you will be disowned."

Tinka did not say a word in response, but the look of pure horror on her face said it all. She was horrified that her parents, her supposedly loving parents, just threatened to disown her if she did not break up with Ty and marry Anton. If her parents loved her and wanted the best for her, like they said they did, they sure had a terrible way of showing it.

Günther watched his sister close her eyes and turn around to replace the bacon sizzling on the frying pan with some eggs. He was just as shocked as she was by their parents' demands, and silently wished there was something he could do to help her.

"The choice is yours, Tinkabell," Kashlack said, simply. "You have a week."

Tinka did not reply; instead, she continued frying eggs in silent. Once she filled another plate with as many fried eggs as possible, she removed the cooked waffles from the waffle iron and tossed them onto a fourth plate. She refused to say anything to her parents because what she wanted to say to them contained some rather vulgar vocabulary that would make the sailors from the old country blush.

While Kashlack and Squizza chatted calmly with each other as though they did not just threaten to disown their daughter, Günther mouthed soothing words to Tinka in an attempt to reassure her that they everything would be okay. His heart broke when he noticed the glum look on Tinka's face when she slid the plates of food onto the table.

After checking that all of the cooking appliances were shut off, Tinka reached for her backpack on a nearby chair and strapped it to her back.

"Thank you for breakfast, dear sister," Günther said, giving Tinka a small smile.

"You're most welcome, twin brother," Tinka replied, monotonously. She swiped a piece of toast off its plate and said, "I'm going to school."

Kashlack and Squizza wished to say goodbye to their daughter and thank her for making breakfast, but knew she was in no mood to reply to them. As they loaded their plates with some of Tinka's excellent cooking, they figured she would eventually see how foolish she had been behaving and would soon agree to their demands.

* * *

"You're kidding me!" Ty cried, appalled.

Tinka shook her head sadly as she poked her Caesar salad with a fork. She did not see Ty all morning, so it was not until lunch when she got the chance to tell not only him, but also CeCe, Deuce, and Dina, about the heated conversation she had with her parents that morning and, needless to say, none of them were pleased.

"How can that be?" CeCe questioned, sounding puzzled. "Your parents said you didn't have to marry Anton if you two weren't a good match."

"Yes, but they only agreed to that condition of the deal because I didn't specifically state that I, and I only, had to prove Anton and I aren't compatible. It's my fault, I should have more specific."

"Don't blame yourself, Tinka," Dina said, gently. "From what you've told us about your parents, even if you were more specific while making the condition, they would have found another way to trap you."

"I just can't believe my parents would do this," Tinka said, burying her face in her manicured hands. "They want the best for me, but don't let me have any say in the matter."

"What are you going to do?" CeCe asked, fearing the worst.

"What else can she do?" Ty said, sadly. He looked to Tinka and told her, "Tinka, you have to marry Anton."

"What?" Tinka cried, horrified that Ty would suggest such a thing.

"Believe me, baby, I love you with everything in me," Ty said, taking one of her hands in his, "but I'll not let you get disowned by your parents. I'm not worth that."

"Ty, don't say that!" Tinka cried, desperately.

"Tinka, your parents approve of Anton; he has the resources to take care of you for the rest of your life," Ty explained. "He can give you everything you want: food, clothes, all the betwinklers you can buy – "

"But he can't give me you," Tinka said, looking Ty directly in the eyes. "He may be able to give me everything else, but not you. He can't give me you or the freedom to make my own decisions. Why would I marry someone like that?"

Ty's ego instantly inflated when Tinka stated all of the things he was able to give her that Anton could never do with all of the money in his possession, and that made the rapper smile slightly. "Tinka – "

"Ty, if my parents disown me, I'll still have you," Tinka reminded him, lovingly. "Trust me, there isn't another man in this world more worthy of me than you."

CeCe and Dina smiled sweetly at the loving words Tinka had spoken to Ty, while Deuce, although happy for the couple, gagged a bit from the overloaded display of affection.

"I'm not going to marry Anton," Tinka said to Ty, firmly. "I'm staying with you, but only if you want to stay with me."

"Always," Ty promised, pulling Tinka into a tight hug.

Tinka smiled into Ty's shoulder as she lovingly returned the embrace.

"Um, not to kill the mood or anything," Dina began, causing the couple to pull back from each other, "but you two still need a way to prove to Tinka's parents that you two are serious about staying together.

"Dina's got a point," Deuce agreed. "Tinka's parents may not even follow through on their threat to disown her. Tinka saying she wants to stay with Ty might not be enough for her parents to stop trying to marry her to Anton."

"Well, Anton can't marry her if she's unavailable," CeCe pointed out.

"And how exactly do we make me unavailable?" Tinka asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hopefully, killing me isn't an option."

"I got it!" Ty exclaimed, snapping his fingers. The idea hit him like a ton of bricks. Sure, there were a lot of details that needed to be worked out, but he hoped they would work in his and Tinka's favour.

"What is it?" Tinka asked, anxiously. "What do you have in mind?"

"It just might work," Ty said, ignoring Tinka's question, "but I have to run it by Rocky first."

Before Tinka or anyone else at the table could reply, Ty bolted out of his seat and dashed across the cafeteria, pushing students that were in his way aside. A lot of them watched with bewildered looks on their faces as the rapper flew out the cafeteria doors and into the hallway.

"I wonder what his idea is," Dina said, her eyes still on the doors.

Tinka shrugged and resumed eating her lunch. As she shoved a few pieces of romaine lettuce in her mouth, she silently prayed to her ancestors that whatever plan Ty had in mind would be a success.

* * *

The library of John Hughes High school was relatively empty, except for a few honour society students, who were working diligently on various assignments or studying. All of them were closely from the front desk by Ms. Burke, the librarian, that is, when she was not drawing more rings on her fingers with markers.

The doors to the library opened and Ty rushed inside. He stopped momentarily to catch his breath, before he began his search for Rocky. He knew that she only skipped lunch with her friends when she had something important to do for school.

After a quick search between bookshelves, Ty found Rocky in the computer lab. She seemed to be multitasking successfully; she had a half-eaten egg salad sandwich in one hand and the mouse of the computer in front of her in the other.

"Hey, Rocky," Ty whispered, appearing next to her.

"Ty?" Rocky said, looking up at her brother in surprise. He rarely came to the library, so she figured it must be important for him to find her there. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you," Ty told her, urgently.

"Okay, but make it fast," Rocky answered. Although she was willing to listen to what Ty had to say, she had research to finish for her world history project on the ancient Incan civilization. "I have work to do."

"Tinka's parents still want her to marry Anton," Ty explained to her. "They think he's a good match for her because they have common interests."

"Not that many," Rocky pointed out, "just ballroom dancing and devotion to family."

"It doesn't matter, they still think she's compatible with him," Ty told her. "They even threatened to disown her if she doesn't break up with me sometime this week and accept Anton's marriage proposal this weekend."

"No way!" Rocky cried in horror. She knew Tinka parents would good people, but never thought they would be so careless as to force Tinka to marry someone she did not love. "What is she going to do?"

"She loves me, Rocky," Ty said, smiling at the statement he just made. "She doesn't care if she gets disowned as long as I'm willing to be with her."

"And you are, aren't you?" Rocky asked, cracking a smile of her own.

"For the rest of my life," Ty answered without hesitation, "but Tinka and I still need to prove to her parents that we are serious about each other, and get Tinka out of her arranged marriage with Anton."

"I'm guessing that's where I come in," Rocky said with a smirk.

"Yeah, pretty much," Ty said with a laugh. "I have a plan that might work, but I need your help and support."

"Anything for my brother and the girl he loves, who's also a good friend of mine," Rocky answered, happily. "Tell me what you need me to do."

"Open a new tab," Ty instructed, gesturing to the open Internet browser on Rocky's computer. "I need you to help me find out the age of consent to marry in the state of Illinois."

"What?" Rocky questioned in confusion, "but I thought you don't want Anton to marry Tinka."

"I don't," Ty said, turning Rocky to face the computer screen, "_I_ want to marry her."

Chapter 10 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


	11. Popping the Question

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 11! =D

Chapter 11: Popping the Question

Ty was leaning with his back against his locker, his arms folded in front of him. After running through some details of his plan with Rocky the previous day and making sure everything would work in his favour, he had gotten straight to work, and even brought Rocky and CeCe along for support. He was constantly on his feet that he did not see Tinka for the rest of the day, mainly because Dina was sent to keep her busy.

"Ty, relax," Rocky reassured her brother from her spot next to him. "Deuce won't lose the package."

"Oh, it's what's inside the package that is worrying me," Ty explained. "I hope Tinka likes it."

"Believe me, she'll love it," Rocky told him. When she first realized that Ty wanted to marry Tinka, she had started ranting, saying things like, _"You must be out of your mind!", _and "_You're too young to get married!"_. However, while taking the time to catch her breath, she realized how much Ty really cared for Tinka and that he was old enough to make his own decisions. As his sister, Rocky decided to support him. "CeCe and I tagged along to help you pick it out because we know what she likes."

Ty nodded as he watched students pass him by, going in different directions. He tapped his foot impatiently on the tile floor, anxiously waiting for Deuce and Dina's delivery. He specifically told Deuce and Dina to make the delivery early, before school started, so he could hide it before Tinka showed up to greet him like she did every morning. The more time passed, the tenser Ty became.

When Deuce finally appeared from around a corner with Dina and approached him, Ty relaxed slightly. He would not be able to completely relax until the delivery, with his gift for Tinka, was safely tucked in the darkness of his locker.

"Finally!" Ty said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Did you get it?"

"Uh, not exactly," Dina said, slowly. "There was a bit of a delay when it came to shipping it out."

"Don't worry, though," Deuce added, noticing the menacing look on Ty's face, "my cousin, Roberto, will have it delivered to Crusty's by this afternoon. You can pick it up then."

"Dude, I have _Shake It Up: Chicago_ rehearsals later!" Ty cried, furiously. "Tinka will be with me, so I can't pick it up before rehearsals, and I need it as soon as rehearsals are done, you know that!"

"Relax, man," Deuce reassured the rapper. "I'm working later, so I'll keep my eye on the package when it arrives. Just send someone later to pick it up for you."

"Who is someone trustworthy that we can send?" Ty asked the group. "Tinka obviously can't do it, and neither can Rocky, CeCe, or I."

"And Günther and I have to tend to some important business after school," Dina added, giving the other teenagers meaningful looks. She looked to Rocky and asked, "What about Logan?"

Rocky shook her head. "He has a badminton tournament after school. He'll meet us afterwards." She paused for a moment, and then said, "But I think I know who might be able to help us."

"It better be someone trustworthy," Ty told his sister. "The last thing we need is someone going against us."

"Trust me, I know who to call," Rocky said, pulling out her cell phone from inside her shorts pocket.

* * *

The school day passed by rather quickly for many students, including Deuce, who soon found himself in the kitchen of Crusty's, wiping down the counter. Every now and then, he would pull open a nearby drawer to check that the package, which had been safely delivered by Roberto, was still there. He did not want Ty to kill him for being irresponsible.

While waiting for the package to be picked up and taken to Ty, Deuce kept himself busy by refilling cheese shakers, dicing pizza toppings, and answering phone calls. He constantly looked towards the stairs as customers descended them, so he did not miss the package's secondary deliverer.

Half an hour into Deuce's shift, a fair-skinned, teenage girl made her way down the stairs of the restaurant and sat on one of the stools facing the counter. Several male patrons eating nearby became speechless at the very sight of her; she was wearing a turquoise blouse with cut-out shoulders, black miniskirt, and high-heeled, leather boots. Her sheet of silvery blonde hair was pulled back into an upper ponytail and kept in place with a turquoise scrunchy.

Deuce looked up from wiping the counter again to find the girl watching him intently from behind her rhinestone shades. He admitted she was beautiful, but, in his opinion, she could never compare to Dina. "Uh, may I help you?"

"Ty sent me to pick up his surprise for Tinka," the girl answered.

Deuce's jaw dropped open as realization hit him. "Oh, sorry, I didn't recognize you!"

"That is the point," the girl answered with a smile. "I want to help Ty and Tinka, but I do not want to draw too much attention from my family to myself when I leave to help."

Deuce nodded, understandingly, and pulled open the drawer that held Ty's order. He pulled out a small paper bag, which was stapled shut, and slid it across the clean counter to the girl.

"Thank you," the girl said, politely, as she slipped the bag into a silver handbag she brought with her.

"No problem, Kasia," Deuce replied. "I wish I could be there. Tell Ty I said good luck."

"I will happily pass on your message," Kasia promised him.

Deuce grinned as Kasia gracefully got off of her seat and made her way to the stairs, oblivious to the few perverted guys who were attempting to take a peek under her skirt as she climbed up the stairs.

* * *

The rehearsals on the _Shake It Up: Chicago_ set went fairly well later on that afternoon. CeCe managed to somehow successfully keep Tinka's full attention on the flamenco routine that they were going over with a couple of other female dancers. Tinka was so focused, in fact, that she failed to notice CeCe and Rocky slip casually out of the group, halfway through rehearsals, and run with Ty out of sight.

When Phil finally announced that rehearsals were over, Tinka looked around for any sign of CeCe, Rocky, or Ty, but they was nowhere to be found. After presuming that they were resting in Ty's dressing room, Tinka tossed the castanets, the ones she was using for the flamenco routine, into a nearby basket and went off in search of her friends.

After making her way down several hallways, Tinka came face to face with Ty's closed dressing room door. She clenched her fingers into a fist and knocked gently.

"Come in!" Ty's voice rang out from inside.

Tinka reached for the doorknob and turned it. She pushed open the door and the sight that greeted her caused her eyes to widen significantly and her jaw to drop open in surprise.

The interior of Ty's dressing room was dimly lit by candles in the middle of a round, tablecloth-draped table. Red and pink rose petals were scattered on the table and all over the floor. In the middle of the room, looking as handsome as he did the night of the ball, was Ty.

"Ty," Tinka whispered, softly. "What's all this?"

Ty smiled and gestured for her to come forward. "Come here, baby."

Tinka smiled back and entered the room. She closed the door behind her, before she made her way over to Ty. She let him take her by her hand, and held it gently within his own.

"You know, we've been through a lot during the past two years we've been going out," Ty told her. "The last week, especially, has been quite a roller coaster."

"I know," Tinka said, knowing he was referring to their problems with Anton.

"I can't promise you that things will end well with your parents," Ty told her, "but I can promise you that, whatever happens, I'll be with you. You will never have to face your problems alone as long as I'm alive."

Tinka's eyes brimmed with tears at the rapper's heartfelt words. She wished her parents could see the way he looked at her with adoration and warmth in his eyes. It was obvious that Ty loved her; he was willing to do anything for her.

"You want to be with me, right?" Ty asked, though he already knew her answer.

"For the rest of my life," Tinka answered without a hint of hesitation in her voice. "I love you, Ty."

"I love you, too," Ty said, reaching into the pocket of his tuxedo jacket, "and I'll prove it to you."

Tinka's felt her tears finally spill down her cheeks as she watched Ty kneel down on one knee. The minute he pulled out a small, velvet box out of his pocket, she smiled joyfully.

Although his hands were shaking slightly, Ty managed to open the box, revealing a one-carat, radiant-cut, white and pink diamond engagement ring. The band was made entirely of eighteen-carat white gold. The pink diamond in the center was a squared-shaped stone, surrounded by smaller, white diamonds in a square frame, similar to those which covered the band of the ring itself. In simpler terms, it was totally Tinka.

"Ty…" Tinka whispered, wiping her stained cheeks with her hands.

"Tinka Hessenheffer, I ask you as a man of love, rather than a guy who's desperate to get his girlfriend out of an arranged marriage with a crazy prince," Ty said, holding out the box to her, "will you marry me?"

Every single emotion Tinka could think of was running through her veins at that very moment; happiness, joy, surprise, and love were among them. At this point in her life, she cared less about what her parents thought of her. They had been putting her through hell, trying to control her life and force her to marry someone she did not love, even though it made her unhappy. For once in her life, she was going to do something that she wanted, something that would make her happy.

"Um, Tinka?" Ty said, his bent leg wobbling slightly from the weight he was putting on it.

Tinka giggled a bit at him and said without a hint of hesitation in her voice, "Yes."

"Yes?" Ty repeated with a smile, making sure he heard her correctly.

"Yes," Tinka said, holding her left hand out to him. "I will marry you."

Ty grinned and removed the ring from its box. After closing the box and slipping it back into his pocket, he gently took Tinka's left hand in his and gently slid the ring onto her ring finger.

The minute Tinka pulled Ty into a bone-crushing hug, the lights in the room switched on. Tinka could see over Ty's shoulder that previously hidden in the darkness of the room were CeCe, Rocky, Günther, Dina, Logan, and Kasia, all with identical smiles on their faces.

"Congratulations, you two!" CeCe squealed, happily.

Tinka pulled back from the hug to stare at her brother and friends in disbelief. "You guys knew?"

"Knew?" Rocky scoffed at her future sister-in-law. "We all helped Ty plan the proposal."

"Thank goodness you said yes," Dina said, handing Tinka a bouquet of red roses that she and Günther picked up from a local floral shop on the way to the _Shake It Up: Chicago _set. "We had trouble getting the ring shipped out. You know security issues and such."

At the mention of her ring, Tinka looked at it and was in complete awe of how beautiful and exquisite the ring was. She stared at the large, pink diamond in the middle, as well as all of the little white diamonds, and silently wondered how Ty could afford something that she knew had to be incredibly expensive. She could see why there were security issues when it came to delivering it.

"You like it?" Ty asked, smiling.

"Yes, of course," Tinka answered, looking up at him, "but how could you – "

"Let's just say my job as host of _Shake It Up: Chicago_ pays very well," Ty said, proudly.

"Ty, you are so sweet," Tinka commented, "but you could have proposed to me with a chewed pen cap and I still would have agreed to marry you."

"No way, baby," Ty said, shaking his head. "My girl deserves the best, no matter what it costs."

"As excited as I am about our engagement, it will not stop my parents from trying to marry me off to Anton," Tinka pointed out to Ty. "We have to be eighteen to get married on our own, don't we? That means my parents still have less than a year to come up with some way to break us up."

"That won't be an issue," Rocky reassured Tinka. "Ty and I did a little research and learned that the age of consent to marry in the state of Illinois is seventeen. You're seventeen and Ty's eighteen. You do the math."

For the first time since the Byalikov royal family arrived in Chicago, Tinka smiled brightly at the thought of marriage. Not only would she get to marry Ty sooner than later, but her marriage to him would prevent her parents for trying to marry her off to Anton. Her parents could not even object to her marriage to Ty because they were both old enough to consent to marrying each other. She hoped this marriage would finally convince her parents to accept Ty as a son-in-law, or lose him and their daughter forever.

"I would like to offer my congratulations as well," Kasia said, reminding Tinka of her presence.

Tinka turned her attention from Rocky to Kasia and her jaw dropped open in surprise. She suddenly realized that the princess had been in the room for the proposal. "Kasia?"

Kasia noticed Tinka staring at her in shock and said, "You must have a lot of questions as to why I am here, but believe me, I have no intention of telling Anton, my parents, or your parents about your engagement until you and Ty give me the word to do so."

"Tinka, Deuce signed for the ring when it was delivered to Crusty's earlier today," Rocky explained to the blonde dancer. "Kasia was the one who picked it up and brought it here for the proposal."

Tinka looked from Rocky to Kasia and asked, "You're supporting Ty and I?"

Kasia nodded and said, "We may have only known each other for a short amount of time, but you're my friend, Tinka. I want you to marry someone you love. Although I love my brother, I refuse to see you marry him when you do not love him in return." She smiled gently at Ty. "Ty may not be a prince, but he treats you well, and I can tell he loves you very much. That is the kind of relationship I am willing to support."

Tinka smiled at Kasia and walked over to embrace her in a hug. "Thank you, Kasia."

"You are most welcome, Tinka," Kasia replied, returning the hug. "You are a good person. You deserve to be happy."

"So, future brother-in-law, what happens next?" Günther asked Ty.

"What do you mean?" Ty asked, confused.

"Once my parents see an engagement ring on Tinka's finger that's not from Anton, they will want answers," Günther pointed out. "How exactly are you and Tinka going to announce your engagement to them?"

"Don't worry, I have an idea!" Tinka chirped, excitedly.

"Does that idea of yours include your future-in-laws by any chance?" Rocky asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Ty hasn't exactly told them yet that he was going to propose to you."

"Oh, shoot!" Ty muttered, snapping his fingers. He was so busy with planning the proposal that he forgot to mention to his parents that he might be giving them a daughter-in-law.

Rocky glanced at the clock on her cell phone, realized she and Ty had to be home for dinner, and said, "Well, there's no time like the present."

Chapter 11 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661

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	12. Facing the Parents

Preventing a Royal Engagement

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 12! =D

Chapter 12: Facing the Parents

After leaving the _Shake It Up: Chicago_ set, everyone went their separate ways. Kasia began her journey back to the hotel she and her family were staying at, while Dina left to meet up with Deuce at Crusty's. Günther and CeCe decided to go see a movie at a nearby cinema, and Logan went to meet up with members of his badminton team at a local bowling alley to celebrate their tournament victory. Rocky called for a taxi, which she, Ty, and Tinka rode back to the apartment.

During the ride home, Ty and Tinka pitched several ideas on how to tell Curtis and Marcie about their engagement. Rocky told them it would be best not to beat around the bush when it came to making the announcement, and suggested they simply just come right out and say it. Although it would likely stun Curtis and Marcie for a bit, at least everything would be out in the open.

When Rocky opened the door to the apartment, she called out, "Mom!"

"In the dining room, sweetie!" Marcie called back.

Rocky gave one last look at Ty and Tinka, before she made her way into the dining room. Ty reached for Tinka's hand and squeezed in reassuringly. The couple each took a deep breath, let it out, and proceeded to the dining room.

Marcie, who was seated at the food-filled table with Curtis and Rocky, smiled at the couple when they entered and said, "Hello, kids!"

"Hey, Mom," Ty greeted, nervously. He took one last glance at Rocky, who was gesturing for him to continue, and asked, "Do you and Dad mind if my fiancee joins us for dinner?"

"Not at all!" Marcie exclaimed, enthusiastically. "She is more than welcome to – wait - what did you say?"

Curtis looked taken aback as he and Marcie stared at their son in complete disbelief. They slowly looked from him to Tinka, who looked just as petrified as Ty did. Their eyes travelled south and widened when they landed on Tinka's engagement ring that sparkled on her finger. Neither parent noticed that Rocky was the only person at the table who did not react to the announcement of the engagement.

Ty gulped nervously when his parents did nothing but stare at him, and he feared the worst. He would have ran back out of the apartment, dragging Tinka with him, but Rocky's meaningful look directed towards him told him to stay. He squeezed Tinka's hand again and braced himself for what he believed would be a very vocal response from his parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Blue?" Tinka mumbled, cautiously. "Are you okay?"

"Now, Tinka," Marcie said, sternly, "I don't like you calling me that."

"Sorry," Tinka mumbled, looking down at her sparkly heels.

"You should be," Marcie said, getting up from her seat. "You're supposed to call me Mom."

Before Tinka could look up, Marcie had enveloped her in a warm, tight embrace. The blonde felt the woman rub her back gently and was slightly puzzled by her actions. She looked over Marcie's shoulder at Ty, who looked just as perplexed as she was.

Ty looked from Tinka to his dad, who was smiling proudly at him, and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Excuse me?" Tinka said, confusedly, as she pulled back from the hug to look at Marcie. "Are you saying - ?"

"Of course I am!" Marcie interrupted with a smile, knowing what Tinka was about to ask. "Welcome to the family, sweetheart!"

"Wait, you're both okay with this?" a surprised Ty asked his parents. "Aren't you going to yell at me for getting engaged at such a young age?"

"Nonsense, son," Curtis said, shaking his head. "You may be young, but you're eighteen. You're old enough to make your own decisions. All Marcie and I can do is respect them and support you."

"Besides, we know how serious you and Tinka are about each other," Marcie added, smiling at her future daughter-in-law. "If Tinka makes you happy, then she's more than welcome into our family."

"That's right, that's right!" Curtis agreed, enthusiastically.

"See guys?" Rocky said to Ty and Tinka, "aren't you glad that's finally off your chest?"

Marcie and Curtis whipped their heads around to look at their daughter, and Curtis asked, "You knew about the proposal?"

"That's right, that's right," Rocky answered in imitation of her father's signature phrase. "I actually helped plan it. I even went with Ty to help pick out the ring."

"Now that you mention it," Marcie said, taking Tinka's left hand in hers to examine the ring, "it is a beautiful ring."

"Thank you…Mom," Tinka uttered, slowly. Her eyes watered a bit when she addressed Marcie as a mother figure to her. Marcie acted more of a mother figure to her than Squizza did since the royal family first came to Chicago, and that made her feel at home in the Blue family.

However, the tears did not go unnoticed by Marcie. She looked at Tinka and asked, "Sweetie, is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes it is," Tinka said as she attempted to blink away the tears. "I'm just thankful that you welcomed me into your family with warm, open arms. It has been a while since I've received such love from my own parents."

"Yes, Ty did tell me about what your parents are forcing you to do," Marcie said, sadly, "and I think it's horrendous. What kind of parents threaten to disown their daughter if they do not marry nobility?"

The thought of being threatened to marry nobility or risk being disowned from the Hessenheffer family caused the tears in Tinka's eyes to spill down her cheeks. Rocky, who could not stand to see her future sister-in-law cry, immediately stood up and walked over to join Ty in giving Tinka a comforting group hug.

"Everything will be okay, Tinka," Rocky reassured the blonde.

"Yeah, baby, we'll get through this," Ty added, kissing the top of Tinka's head lightly.

"Listen, Tinka, I don't approve of what your parents are trying to do to you," Marcie said, "but if your parents _do_ disown you, just know there will always be a place in our home for you."

"That's right, that's right," Curtis agreed. "You're going to be family. You're more than welcome to live here."

Tinka cracked a smile at her future in-laws. She was not even married to Ty yet and they were already treating her like a member of their family. She felt loved and respected, something she barely felt in the presence of her biological parents, and she was relieved they were accepting of her engagement to Ty.

"Now, I hate to be a bit of a killjoy, Tinka," Marcie said as the trio pulled back from the group hug, "but how do you plan on telling your parents about this?"

Tinka shook her head and said, "You don't know my parents, Mrs. – I mean – Mom. My engagement to Ty will mean nothing to my parents. They won't take it seriously and will still try to marry me off to Prince Anton."

"I proposed to Tinka to show her that I'm willing to spend the rest of my life with her," Ty explained to her parents, "but like she said, the engagement isn't something set in stone."

"Well, eventually, you're going to have to tell them," Curtis told her. "They may be acting a bit unreasonable, but they're still your parents."

"And what about the royal family of your home country?" Marcie asked. "The King and Queen certainly have to be told that their son's betrothed is engaged to marry another man."

"Not to worry," Tinka said. "My mother expects me to accept Prince Anton's wedding proposal during dinner with the royal family on Sunday night. Of course, I will have to explain to her and everyone at the dinner table that I cannot accept the proposal because I'm already married."

Marcie raised an eyebrow at Tinka and said, "But you and Ty aren't – "

"We aren't," Tinka interrupted, reaching for Ty's hand again. "Well, not yet anyway."

Curtis and Marcie stared at their future daughter-in-law when they realized what she was implying.

* * *

Tinka sighed with relief when she returned home and noticed that not a single member of the royal family was over for dinner. She did, however, find Squizza in the living room with Günther, who had already returned from his movie date with CeCe. All My Goats, a popular soap opera of the old country, was playing on the television.

"Good evening, sister twin," Günther greeted, looking up from the television.

"Good evening, dear brother," Tinka replied. "Sorry if I'm interrupting your show."

"Not to worry, the episode just ended," Günther explained. "Vlad broke up with Lucie for the daughter of the goat farmer."

"No way!" Tinka gasped. "Does he know that Lucie is two months pregnant with his child?"

"No, she didn't get the chance to tell him before he hung up the phone," Günther explained.

"Some guys are quite goat butts," Tinka said with a frown.

"Now, darling, you know that kind of language is not permitted in our household," Squizza reprimanded.

"Sorry, Mama," Tinka said, apologetically.

"But speaking of such distasteful males," Squizza began, "have you severed all ties with Ty Blue yet?"

Tinka wanted to frown upon hearing her mother call Ty a goat butt, but she refrained from doing so. Instead, she slipped her left hand into her jeans pocket to hide her engagement ring and smiled happily. "Mama, I have come to realize that I have been acting quite foolish. To answer your question, I did what I had to do."

Günther raised an eyebrow at his sister, an action which went unnoticed by their mother. He knew Tinka well enough that she spoke only in broad terms when she wished to speak the truth, yet keep it hidden without lying. He believed she had a plan in mind and decided to go along with it.

"You did?" Squizza asked with an air of surprise. She had not expected her daughter to break up with Ty so quickly, let alone be emotionally stable after doing so.

"Yes," Tinka said without a hint of deceit in her voice. "During dinner, I explained to Ty that I had to choose between him and Prince Anton. Obviously, I had to pick the man who would take care of me by any means necessary and make me happy for the rest of my life."

Günther smirked. He knew Tinka was not referring to Anton as she spoke those words.

"Good for you, Tinkabell," Squizza praised with a smile. "You deserve better, you know that."

"I deserve the best, Mama," Tinka said, not referring to Anton once again, "and I'm ready to marry the best."

"This is exciting news!" Squizza exclaimed, happily. "I cannot wait to tell your father when he gets home!"

"Günther," Tinka said, turning to her brother and giving him a meaningful look, "I still have time to help you study for that biology test tomorrow if you wish to do a final review."

"Certainly," Günther said, playing along. He stood up, said goodnight to their mother, and followed Tinka down the hallway to her bedroom.

Once they were inside and Günther closed and locked the door, Tinka smiled and said, "Thank you for playing along, twin brother."

"You're welcome, sister twin," Günther answered with a smile of his own. "When you were speaking broadly, I knew you were not talking about Anton."

"How right you were," Tinka said with a smirk.

"I'm guessing that your joyous mood means Ty's parents reacted positively to your engagement to Ty?" Günther asked.

"Yes, they took the news rather well," Tinka said. "However, convincing them to let Ty and I get married before the upcoming weekend is another story."

"I can imagine," Günther said, absentmindedly, before his eyes widened in realization of what his sister said. "Wait, what do you mean you two are getting married before this weekend?"

"Because this weekend is when Anton will propose to me, remember?" Tinka said to Günther. "An engagement is not a formal agreement; Mama and Papa will still expect me to accept Anton's proposal. If I'm married, Mama and Papa can't make me accept anything."

"I see what you mean," Günther said, thinking about what Tinka said. Once she married Ty, she would officially become a part of the Blue family. She would no longer be under the ruling of her parents. "Anton would look quite foolish if he asked a married woman to marry him."

"Exactly," Tinka said.

"As happy as I am about you marrying Ty, I must ask you sister twin," Günther said, looking Tinka in the eyes. "I'm one hundred percent sure that Ty has the ability to take care of you, but are you one hundred percent sure that you are ready to marry him so soon after getting engaged to him?"

Tinka's smile widened at her brother's protectiveness. She gently took his hands in hers and squeezed them reassuringly. "Dear brother, Ty and I are one hundred percent sure about getting married this week. I know it seems like things are happening too fast, but Ty and I have been together for two years and have known each other for much longer than that. We are getting married because we love each other. My arranged marriage to Anton was just the push we needed to take that next step. Whether Mama and Papa like it or not, I will marry the man of my dreams, and it will be up to them to decide whether or not to accept it."

Günther smiled at Tinka. He no longer saw her as a little girl who he had to protect from boys; he now saw her as a mature woman who was able to make her own decisions and was willing to fight to be with the man she loved. He removed his hands from Tinka's hold and embraced her in a warm hug. "If you want to get married this week, then I shall be fully supportive of your decision."

"Thank you, Günther," Tinka mumbled into his shoulder as she returned his hug.

"You're welcome, Tinka," Günther replied. "I just want you to be happy."

"Well, I will be happier than I am now if we can plan a wedding in less than a week," Tinka said with a laugh as she pulled back from the hug. "Anton will be proposing during dinner on Sunday night, so Ty and I have to get married Saturday at the latest."

Günther's eyes widened and he nodded in agreement. "You are absolutely right. Normally, it takes months for brides to plan their weddings, but if you want to marry Ty on Saturday, you only have three days to plan the wedding."

"There's a lot that goes into a wedding: location, food, cake, flowers, decorations, invitations, and more," Tinka listed, the stress of planning already getting the best of her. "Also, we have to keep it a secret from Mama, Papa, the King and Queen, and Anton until Sunday's dinner."

"You're a hardworking person, Tinka," Günther said, "but you can't possibly plan a wedding in three days."

"Of course I can't," Tinka said with a smirk as she pulled out her cell phone from inside her jeans pocket, "but I know someone who can."

Chapter 12 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?

Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D

~TeenQueen661


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